The wages which he received amounted, I see, to five pounds a month.

The voyage lasted eight months, but the ship had only been out two months and a half when your husband died." "That's true, sir," the widow said, with an anxious look at the long line of figures in the ledger.
"Of course, the contract ended at his death, so the firm owed him twelve pounds ten at that date.

But I perceive from my books that you have been drawing half-pay during the whole eight months.

You have accordingly had twenty pounds from the firm, and are therefore in its debt to the amount of seven pounds ten shillings.

We'll say nothing of that at present," the senior partner concluded with a magnificent air.
"When you are a little better off you can make good the balance, but really you can hardly expect us to assist you any further at present." "But, sir, we have nothing," Mrs.Hudson sobbed.
"It is deplorable, most deplorable.