He was not so dull but that he perceived this at an early stage of his visit to New York, which was probably the reason of the infrequency of his stories.
He on his side was naturally not quick to rise to the humour of a "big deal" or a big blunder made on Wall Street--or to the wit of jokes concerning them.

Upon the whole he would have been glad to have understood such matters more clearly.

His circumstances were such as had at last forced him to contemplate the world of money-makers with something of an annoyed respect.

"These fellows" who had neither titles nor estates to keep up could make money.

He, as he acknowledged disgustedly to himself, was much worse than a beggar.