Зима тревоги нашей

           Iwasdiscussingmoneywithmyfriendshere.Oneofyourfinestfamilies—oh,you’dknowthename!Everybodyintheworlddoes,Iguess.Well,theygottheirbigstartsellingbeeftotheBritishwhenourcountrywasatwarwiththeBritish,andtheirmoneyisasadmiredasanyandsoisthefamily.Andanotherdynasty,probablythegreatestbankersofthemall.ThefounderboughtthreehundredriflesfromtheArmy.TheArmyhadrejectedthemasdangerouslydefectiveandsohegotthemverycheap,maybefiftycentsapiece.PrettysoonGeneralFrémontwasreadytostarthisheroictrektotheWest,andheboughttherifles,sightunseen,fortwentydollarsapiece.Nooneeverheardwhethertheyblewupinthetroopers’hands.Andthatwasthemoneythatmakesmoney.Itdoesn’tmatterhowyougetitjustaslongasyougetitanduseittomakemore.I’mnotbeingcynical.Ourlordandmaster,MarullooftheancientRomanname,isquiteright.Wheremoneyisconcerned,theordinaryrulesofconducttakeaholiday.WhydoItalktogroceries?Perhapsbecauseyouarediscreet.Youdonotrepeatmywords,orgossip.Moneyisacrassandungracioussubjectonlywhenyouhaveit.Thepoorfinditfascinating.Butdon’tyouagreethatifonebecomesactivelyinterestedinmoney,heshouldknowsomethingofitsnatureandcharacterandtendencies?I’mafraidthatveryfewmen,andtheygreatartistsormisers,areinterestedinmoneyforitself.Andyoucankickoutthosemiserswhoareconditionedbyfear.