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Gissing, George, 1857-1903

"The Unclassed"

In private contract a man has only a right to what he's
strong enough to exact If a tenant tells me my houses ain't fit to
live in, I tell him to go where he'll be better off' and I don't
hinder him; I know well enough in a day or two there'll come
somebody else. Ten to one he can't go, and he don't. Then why should
I be at unnecessary expense in making the places better? As Boon as
I can get no tenants I'll do so; not till then."
"You don't believe in works of mere humanity?"
"What the devil's humanity got to do with business?" cried Abraham.
"True," was Waymark's rejoinder.
"See, we won't talk of these kind of things," said Mr. Woodstock.
"That's just what we always used to quarrel about, and I'm getting
too old for quarrelling. Got any engagement this afternoon?"
"I thought of looking in to see a friend here in the street"
"Male or female?"
"Both; man and wife."
"Oh, then you have got some friends? So had I when I was your age.
They go somehow when you get old. Your father was the last of them,
I think. But you're not much like him, except a little in face.
True, he was a Radical, but you,--well, I don't know what you are.
If you'd been a son of mine, I'd have had you ill Parliament by now,
somehow or other.


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