human
Ascott says right; he is the head of the family, and, by-and-by. I trust will take care of us all. But he is not able to do it now, and meantime we must live.
gpt
To be sure, we must Auntie.
human
I mean, my boy, we must live honestly; we must not run into debt: and her voice sharpened as with the reflected horror of her young days--if, alas! there ever had been any youth for Henry Leaf's eldest daughter.
gpt
No, Ascott, out of debt out of danger. For myself --she laid her thin old fingers on his arm, and looked up at him with a pitiful mixture of reliance and hopelessness--
human
I would rather see you breaking stones in the road than living like a gentleman, as you call it, and a swindler, as I call it, upon other people's money.
gpt
You use strong language, Aunt Johanna. Never mind. I dare say you are right. However, it's no business of mine. Good-night, for I have an engagement.
human
Oh no; I bate talking over things. Settle it among yourselves. As I said, it isn't my business.
gpt
You don't care, then, what becomes of us all? I sometimes begin to think so.
human
What have I done? I may be a very bad fellow, but I'm not quite so bad as that. Aunt Hilary.
gpt
She didn't mean it, my boy,