The Price He Paid — page 80: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

FORTUNE AND MARRIAGE. 71 that George saw it would be useless to insist; so he yielded the point. “Well, let me congratulate you on coming into the fortune, at all events,” he said. “Thoughit be not a very considerable one, it will, I suppose, be of importance to you.” “Certainly; Iam especially glad on my father’s account. He can now devote himself to his be- loved science undisturbed by those material cares which have hitherto held the front rank. I, too, gain by it my much-desired independence. Ishould long ago have resigned my post at the hospital had it not been necessary to provide for our household an assured income which can henceforth be dis- pensed with. I shall set to work to establish a practice now and marry.” “You are thinking of marrying?” asked George, in some astonishment. “Of course l am. A man must havea wife. It is necessary to his comfort.” “But whom do you mean to marry ?” .“ Ah! that I don’t know yet. When I have in- stalled myself in a place of my own, I shall hold a review, make my choice, and lead home my bride.” “Some daughter of Switzerland, I presume?” “Beyond a doubt. I think very highly of the solid good sense and practical virtues of the Swiss, though it may bethere isa little lack of polish about them at times. Moreover, I don’t want any tender over-refinement in my wife. Married peo- ple should be cut out on the same pattern.” — “Well,you seem to have gone thoroughly into it,” laughed George. “I dare say you have made out a regular programme, enumerating all the qualities your future wife is to possess. So let us_ hear. Clause No, 1?” “Money,” said Max, laconically. “Ah! yes; that rouses your sentimental feelings to revolt again. Money is indispensable. Second desideratum, practical domestic education. Third, fine, robust health. A doctor, who is knocking about all day among all sorts of maladies, does not want to have to prescribe at home. Fourth——” we GEomicbooks (E(0)