"Why in snakes should anybody want to be a sculptor, if you come to that?
I would love to sculp myself.

But what I can't see is why you should want to do nothing else.

It seems to argue a poverty of nature." Whether or not he ever came to understand me--and I have been so tossed about since then that I am not very sure I understand myself--he soon perceived that I was perfectly in earnest; and after about ten days of argument, suddenly dropped the subject, and announced that he was wasting capital, and must go home at once.

No doubt he should have gone long before, and had already lingered over his intended time for the sake of our companionship and my misfortune; but man is so unjustly minded that the very fact, which ought to have disarmed, only embittered my vexation.

I resented his departure in the light of a desertion; I would not say, but doubtless I betrayed it; and something hang-dog in the man's face and bearing led me to believe he was himself remorseful.
It is certain at least that, during the time of his preparations, we drew sensibly apart--a circumstance that I recall with shame.