Neither of these two men was wealthy. Such incomes as they gained had
not even that quality of regular flow which, more than mere volume,
impresses the years with security. Each was driven to continual
expedients, and each had lost such careful habits as only a regular
supply can perpetuate. The consequence of this impediment was
apparent in the clothing of both men and in the grooming of each;
for the Economist, who was the elder, wore a frock-coat unsuited to
the occasion, marked in many places with lighter patches against its
original black, and he had upon his head a top hat of no great age and
yet too familiar and rough, and dusty at the brim. The Psychologist,
upon the other hand, sprawled in a suit of wool, grey and in places
green, which was most slipshod and looked as though at times he slept
in it, which indeed at times he did. Unlike his elder companion he wore
no stiff collar round his throat, a negligence which saved him from
the reproach of frayed linen worn through too many days; his shirt
was a grey woollen shirt with a grey woollen collar of such a sort as
scientific men assure us invigorates the natural functions and prolongs
the life of man.
These two fell at once to a discussion upon that matter which absorbs
the best of modern minds. I mean the organisation of Production in
the modern world. It was their favourite theme. Their drink was Port,
which, carelessly enough, they continued to order in small glasses
instead of beginning boldly with the bottle. The Port was bad, or
rather it was not Port, yet had they bought one bottle of it they would
have saved the earnings of many days.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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