But, as usual, I am beginning
at the wrong end, so here goes to give you an idea of
what has been happening.
I told you in my last about my lunacy adventure and
my ignominious return from Lochtully Castle. When I had
settled for the flannel vests which my mother had ordered
so lavishly I had only five pounds left out of my pay.
With this, as it was the first money that I had ever
earned im{sic} my life, I bought her a gold bangle, so
behold me reduced at once to my usual empty pocketed
condition. Well, it was something just to feel that I
HAD earned money. It gave me an assurance that I
might again.
I had not been at home more than a few days when my
father called me into the study after breakfast one
morning and spoke very seriously as to our financial
position. He began the interview by unbuttoning his
waistcoat and asking me to listen at his fifth
intercostal space, two inches from the left sternal line.
I did so, and was shocked to hear a well-marked mitral
regurgitant murmur.
"It is of old standing," said he, "but of late I have
had a puffiness about the ankles and some renal symptoms
which show me that it is beginning to tell."
I tried to express my grief and sympathy, but he cut
me short with some asperity.
"The point is," said he, "that no insurance office
would accept my life, and that I have been unable, owing
to competition and increased expenses, to lay anything
by.
Pages:
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90