You see," he went on, with the air of one indulging in reminiscences, "my father was in this business and I was brought up to it.

We lived only a stone's throw away then, in Bermondsey, and I went to the City of London School.

At fourteen I was in the office here, and a partner at twenty-one.

I never went out of England till I was over forty.

I had plenty of friends, but they were all of one class.