And I'll tell you what, Alaric, I'd sooner earn L50 by writing for the press, than get L1,000 in any other way you can think of.

It may be a poor trade in one way; and authors, I believe, are poor; but I am sure it has its consolations.' 'Well, Charley, I hope with all my heart that you may find them.
For my own part, seeing what a place the world is, seeing what are the general aspirations of other men, seeing what, as it appears to me, the Creator has intended for the goal of our labours, I look for advancement, prosperity, and such rank and station as I may be able to win for myself.

The labourer is worthy of his hire, and I do not mean to refuse such wages as may come in my way.' 'Yes,' said Charley, who, now that his spirit was roused, determined to fight his battle manfully, 'yes, the labourer is worthy of his hire; but were I to get Miss Golightly's fortune I should be taking the hire without labour.' 'Bah!' said Alaric.
'It would be dishonest in every way, for I do not love her, and should not love her at the moment that I married her.' 'Honesty!' said Alaric, still sneering; 'there is no sign of the dishonesty of the age so strong as the continual talk which one hears about honesty!' It was quite manifest that Alaric had not sat at the feet of Undy Scott without profiting by the lessons which he had heard.
'With what face,' continued he, 'can you pretend to be more honest than your neighbours ?' 'I know that it is wrong, and unmanly too, to hunt a girl down merely for what she has got.' 'There are a great many wrong and unmanly men about, then,' said Alaric.

'Look through the Houses of Parliament, and see how many men there have married for money; aye, and made excellent husbands afterwards.

I'll tell you what it is, Charley, it is all humbug in you to pretend to be better than others; you are not a bit better;--mind, I do not say you are worse.