The baron took him all over the farm, and good-humoredly said, "You must give me some advice, Ehrenthal." Only two or three years had passed since a similar walk over this farm, and how the times had changed! Then, Ehrenthal had to insinuate his advice to the proud baron, and now the baron himself asked him for it.
In the lightest tone that he could assume, he went on to say, "I have had greater expenses than usual this year.

Even the promissory notes do not yield enough, and I must therefore think of increasing my income.
What would you consider the best means of doing this ?" The usurer's eyes brightened; but he answered, with all due deference, "The baron must be a better judge of that than I can be." "None of your bargains, however, Ehrenthal.

I shall not enter into partnership with you again." Ehrenthal replied, shaking his head, "There are not, indeed, many such bargains to be made, which I could conscientiously recommend.

The baron has five-and-forty thousand dollars' worth of promissory notes.

Why do you keep them when they pay so small an interest?
If you were, instead, to buy a good mortgage at five per cent, you would pay four per cent to the Joint-stock Company, and one per cent.