highly valuable post by the
medium of a competitive examination alienated his family, as he had
already alienated his friends. It is probable that his friends would
have refused to have anything whatever to do with him, but for one
fact--it was possible to borrow money from Alfred Simpson. They all did
it, except one man, but differed in the amount and the frequency of
their borrowings, according as their self-respect hindered or their
necessities encouraged them. The one man who would not do it was the
most confirmed borrower of them all. To the professional money-lender he
was well known. "But," he said, "I cannot borrow from Alfred Simpson; it
is altogether too easy--it is inartistic and gives me no satisfaction."

Without working Alfred Simpson could very well have lived on his income.
But his income depended on capital, and his capital rapidly dwindled to
nothing under the inroads made upon it. When his last hundred had been
lent to a young gentleman who wished to test practically his solution of
certain mathematical problems in the neighbourhood of Nice, Alfred
Simpson went with empty pockets to those to whom he had lent money, and
inquired if the repayment of the whole or part would be convenient. He
returned from this inquiry with one pound six shillings, and the happy
consciousness that he had not been vulgar. He had never insisted, he had
never urged.

His next step was to sell the furniture of his well-appointed flat in
order to pay the rent for it. After that he lived on a fairly extensive
wardrobe and a few small articles of jewellery that he possessed. He
retained only the gold watch and chain which had been presented to him
by his mother on his twenty-first birthday.

There came a day when he had lunched lightly on his last six
collars--or, to speak with pedantic accuracy, on the meal which had been
provided with the money which had been acquired by the sale of those six
collars. In spite of this banquet, by eight o'clock in the evening he
felt hungry again, and our sentiments yield to our necessities. He
therefore went out to dispose of his watch and chain. He went through
Regent's Park and was stopped by a man whose appearance was against him.
He looked in so many directions at once that anybody else would have
mistrusted him.

"Could you tell us the time, Gov'nor?" said the man.

Alfred produced his watch. The man snatched it and the chain therewith,
and ran. He did not run remarkably well. It wo