“ Do you mean that she can never feel sure of the justice of her title to her riches? That used to trouble me; but it no longer does so. ”
“ Nonsense! ” said Lucian. “ I alluded to the disinterestedness of your friends. ”
“ That does not trouble me either. Absolutely disinterested friends I do not seek, as I should only find them among idiots or somnambulists. As to those whose interests are base, they do not know how to conceal their motives from me. For the rest, I am not so unreasonable as to object to a fair account being taken of my wealth in estimating the value of my friendship. ”
“ Do you not believe in the existence of persons who would like you just as well if you were poor? ”
“ Such persons would, merely to bring me nearer to themselves, wish me to become poor; for which I s
