I don't mind much; I had a pretty fair time before these beastly Radicals made things so difficult." The financier nodded, and the young man went on: "My forbears got rid of what they could; there was not much ready money to come into and one had to live!" Francis Markrute smoked for a minute thoughtfully.
"Naturally," he said at last.

"Only the question is--for how long?
I understand a plunge, if you settle its duration; it is the drifting and trusting to chance, and a gradual sinking which seem to me a poor game.
Did you ever read de Musset's 'Rolla' ?" "The fellow who had arrived at his last night, and to whom the little girl was so kind?
Yes: well ?" "You reminded me of Jacques Rolla, that is all." "Oh, come! It is not as bad as that!" Lord Tancred exclaimed--and he laughed.

"I can collect a few thousands still, even here, and I can go to Canada.

I believe there is any quantity of money to be made there with a little capital, and it is a nice, open-air life.

I just looked in this afternoon on my way back from Scotland to tell you I should be going out to prospect, about the end of November and could not join you for the pheasants on the 20th, as you were good enough to ask me to do." The financier half closed his eyes.