"Do you think so?" said he. "I don't imagine he does. Goldstick has considerable sentiment. It's quite easy to get him excited on moral subjects, and he dearly loves to hear himself talk--he is sincerely interested in a good number of moral reforms, so long as they cost him nothing; and when a man is working his good faculties, he is generally delighted with himself, and it is the most natural thing in the world, to think that there is more of him than there is. I am often put in mind of that enthusiastic young ruler that came to the Saviour, who had kept all the commandments, and seemed determined to be on the high road to saintship. The Saviour just touched him on this financial question, and he wilted in a minute. I consider that to be still the test question, and there are a good many young rulers like him, who _don't_ keep all the commandments." "Your way of talking," said I, "seems to do away with all moral indignation." He smiled, and then looked sadly into the fire--"God help us all," he said. "We are all struggling in the water together and pulling one another under--our best virtues are such a miserable muddle--and then--there's the beam in our own eye." There was a depth of pathos in his dark eyes as he spoke, and suddenly a smile flashed over his features, and looking around, he said-- "So, what do you think of that, my cat, And what do you think of that, my dog." CHAPTER XV. I MEET A VISION. "I say, Hal, do you want to get acquainted with any of the P. G.'s here in New York? If you do, I can put you on the track." "P. G.'s?" said I, innocently. "Yes; you know that's what Plato calls pretty girls. I don't believe you remember your Greek. I'm going out this evening where there's a lot of 'em--splendid house on Fifth avenue--lots of tin--girls gracious. Don't know which of 'em I shall take yet. Don't you want to go with me and see?" Jim stood at the looking-glass brushing his hair and arranging his necktie. "Jim Fellows, you are a coxcomb," said I. "I don't know why I shouldn't be," said he. "The girls fairly throw themselves at one's head. They are up to all that sort of thing. Besides, I'm on the lookout for my fortune, and it all comes in the way of business. Come, now, don't sit there writing all the evening. Come out, and let me show you New York by gaslight." "No," said I; "I've got to finish up this article for the _Milky Way_. The fact is, a fellow must be industrious to make anything, and my time for seeing girls isn't come yet. I must have something to support a wife on before I look round in that direction." "The idea, Harry, of a good-looking fellow like you, not making the most of his advantages! Why, there are nice girls in this city that could help you up faster than all the writing you can do these ten years. And you sitting, moiling and toiling, when you ought to be making some lovely woman happy!" "I shall never marry for money, Jim, you may depend upon that."