Page 321 of 896

"Well!" said his friend Stryver, "you take it more easily than I

fancied you would, and are less mercenary on my behalf than I

thought you would be; though, to be sure, you know well enough by

this time that your ancient chum is a man of a pretty strong

will. Yes, Sydney, I have had enough of this style of life, with

no other as a change from it; I feel that it is a pleasant thing

for a man to have a home when he feels inclined to go to it (when

he doesn't, he can stay away), and I feel that Miss Manette will

tell well in any station, and will always do me credit. So I have

made up my mind. And now, Sydney, old boy, I want to say a word

to you about your prospects. You are in a bad way, you know; you

really are in a bad way. You don't know the value of money, you

live hard, you'll knock up one of these days, and be ill and

poor; you really ought to think about a nurse."

The prosperous patronage with which he said it, made him look

twice as big as he was, and four times as offensive.