"But you are a gentleman," she said, rising again, and rustling over
the pages of the book she still held. "Are you in the city?"
"The Lord deliver me!"
"What then?"
"I am nothing."
"Then you must be rich."
"It by no means follows. Yesterday I was a teacher in a school.
To-day I am what is called out of work."
"A teacher. But I suppose you'll get another place."
"No. I've given it up because I couldn't endure it any longer."
"And how are you going to live?"
"I have no idea."
"Then you must have been very foolish to give away your money like
that to-night."
"I don't pretend to much wisdom. If I had had another sovereign in
my pocket, no doubt I should have given it you before this, and you
wouldn't have refused it."
"How do you know?" she asked sharply. "Why should you think me
selfish?"
"Certainly I have no reason to. And by the by, I already owe you
money for the supper. I will send it you to-morrow."
"Why not bring it?"
"Better not. I have a good deal of an unpleasant quality which
people call pride, and I don't care to make myself uncomfortable
unnecessarily."
"You can't have more pride than I have. Look." She held out her
hands.
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