The grin was greeted by a shout of laughter from his companions.
"What did he say, Stebbins ?" someone cried.
"He said," explained Mr.Stebbins deliberately, "he said that an allowance was the proper thing.

He said that a man of his rank must have resources, and that it wasn't dignified for him to have to ask his wife or his wife's father for money when he wanted it.

He said an allowance was what he felt he had a right to expect.

And then he twisted his moustache and said, 'what proposition' did I make--what would I allow him ?" The storyteller's hearers evidently knew him well.

Their laughter was louder than before.
"Let's hear the rest, Joe! Let's hear it!" "Well," replied Mr.Stebbins almost thoughtfully, "I just got up and said, 'Well, it won't take long for me to answer that.