"You won't be angry, dear, will you?"
"Angry? I! Good heavens, no! Is it about household expenses?"
"Yes! We owe money at the stores! The butcher is pressing for payment;
the man from the livery stables has called for his money; it's most
unpleasant."
"Is that all? I shall pay them to the last farthing to-morrow. How
dare they worry you about such trifles? They shall be paid to-morrow,
but they shall lose a customer. Now, don't let's talk about it any
more. Come out for a walk. No carriage! Well, we'll take the car to
the Deer Park, it will cheer us up."
They went to the Deer Park. They asked for a private room at the
restaurant, and people stared at them and whispered.
"They think we are out on a spree," he laughed. "What fun! What madness!"
But his wife did not like it.
They had a big bill to pay.
"If only we had stayed at home! We might have bought such a lot of things
for the money."
Months elapsed. The great event was coming nearer and nearer. A cradle
had to be bought and baby-clothes. A number of things were wanted. The
young husband was out on business all day long. The price of wheat had
risen. Hard times were at hand. He could get no translations, no
proof-correcting. Men had become materialists.
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