If I don't make her repent her impudence then, you may call me the fool you think me." Mary knew well enough what they wanted of her; but of the real cause at the root of their desire she had no suspicion.

Recoiling altogether from Mr.Turnbull's theories of business, which were in flat repudiation of the laws of Him who alone understands either man or his business, she yet had not a doubt of his honesty as the trades and professions count honesty.

Her father had left the money affairs of the firm to Mr.Turnbull, and she did the same.

It was for no other reason than that her position had become almost intolerable, that she now began to wonder if she was bound to this mode of life, and whether it might not be possible to forsake it.
Greed is the soul's thieving; where there is greed, there can not be honesty.

John Turnbull, it is true, was not only proud of his reputation for honesty, but prided himself on being an honest man; yet not the less was he dishonest--and that with a dishonesty such as few of those called thieves have attained to.
Like most of his kind, he had been neither so vulgar nor so dishonest from the first.