"Why it's the very sort of case it's your business to deal with," said Rufus. "If the world was full of wise men you'd stand a pretty fair chance of starving, Governor. But seriously, -- do you think it is unbecoming a wise man to take any lawful means of keeping out of the way of that same devil of starvation?" "Do you mean to say that you are in any danger of it?" said Winthrop looking up again. "Why no, -- not exactly; taking the words literally. But one may starve and yet have enough to eat." "If one refuses one's food." "If one don't! I tell you, I have been starving for these two years past. It is not living, to make to-day only feed to- morrow. Besides -- I don't see any harm in purchasing, if one can, an exemption from the universal doom of eating one's bread in the sweat of one's brow." "I think it depends entirely on what one pays for the purchase," said Winthrop. "Suppose one pays nothing." "One executes a most unaccountable business transaction." Rufus stopped and looked at him, and then took up his walk, and half laughing went on. "Suppose we leave talking in the dark, and understand one another. Do you know what I am driving at?" "Have you set off?" said Winthrop, with again a glance which seemed to add to Rufus's amusement. "No," he said, -- "I am just waiting for you to give me leave." "The reins are not in my hands." "Yes they are. Seriously, Winthrop, do you know what we are talking about? -- What do you think of my making suit to one of these ladies?" "I do not think about it." "You do not conceive it would be any disfavour to either of them to induce her to accept me, I suppose. -- What do you say?" "You are indifferent towards which of them the suit should incline?" said Winthrop. "Why, that's as it may be -- I haven't thought enough about it to know. They're a pretty fair pair to choose from --" "Supposing that you have the choice," said Winthrop. "Do you know anything to the contrary? --Has anybody else a fairer entrance than myself?" "I am not on sufficiently near terms with the family to be able to inform you." "Do _you_ think of entering _your_ plough, Governor?" "Not in your field." "What do you mean?" "I mean that I am not in your way." "Shall I be in yours?" "No," said his brother coolly. "In whose way then?" "I am afraid in your own, Will." "How do you mean?" asked the other a little fiercely. "If you are so intent upon marrying money-bags, you may chance to get a wife that will not suit you." "You must explain yourself!" said Rufus haughtily. "In what respect would either of these two not suit me?" "Of two so different, it may safely be affirmed that if one would the other would not." "Two so different!" said Rufus. "What's the matter with either of them?" "There is this the matter with both --that you do not know them." "I _do_ know them!" "From the rest of the world; but not from each other." "Why not from each other?"