"Six months ago I passed out at this gate," said he, "a proud, angry, disappointed man. I come back sadder and wiser; weakly enough, but not worried. A cold, gray, yet quiet world lies round--a world where, if I hope little, I fear nothing. All slavish terrors of embarrassment have left me. Let the worst come, I can work, as Joe Scott does, for an honourable living; in such doom I yet see some hardship but no degradation. Formerly, pecuniary ruin was equivalent in my eyes to personal dishonour. It is not so now; I know the difference. Ruin _is_ an evil, but one for which I am prepared; the day of whose coming I know, for I have calculated. I can yet put it off six months--not an hour longer. If things by that time alter, which is not probable; if fetters, which now seem indissoluble, should be loosened from our trade (of all things the most unlikely to happen), I might conquer in this long struggle yet--I might--good God! what might I not do? But the thought is a brief madness; let me see things with sane eyes. Ruin will come, lay her axe to my fortune's roots, and hew them down. I shall snatch a sapling, I shall cross the sea, and plant it in American woods. Louis will go with me. Will none but Louis go? I cannot tell--I have no right to ask."

"Six months ago I left here," said he, "a proud, angry, disappointed man. I come back sadder and wiser. A cold, grey world lies round - a world where, if I hope little, I fear nothing. If the worst comes, I can work, as Joe Scott does, for an honourable living. Formerly, financial ruin was dishonour in my eyes. It is not so now. Ruin is an evil, but one for which I am prepared. I have calculated that I can put it off six months - not an hour longer. If things by that time alter, I might conquer yet. But that thought is madness; let me see matters with sane eyes. Ruin will come, lay her axe to my fortune's roots, and hew them down. I shall snatch a sapling, cross the sea, and plant it in American woods. Louis will go with me. None but Louis? I cannot tell - I have no right to ask."
