? What
may your meaning be, Mr. Lorry?«
    »My meaning,« answered the man of business, »is, of course, friendly and
appreciative, and that it does you the greatest credit, and - in short, my
meaning is everything you could desire. But - really, you know, Mr. Stryver -«
Mr. Lorry paused, and shook his head at him in the oddest manner, as if he were
compelled against his will to add, internally, »you know there really is so much
too much of you!«
    »Well!« said Stryver, slapping the desk with his contentious hand, opening
his eyes wider, and taking a long breath, »if I understand you, Mr. Lorry, I'll
be hanged!«
    Mr. Lorry adjusted his little wig at both ears as a means towards that end,
and bit the feather of a pen.
    »D-n it all, sir!« said Stryver, staring at him, »am I not eligible?«
    »Oh dear yes! Yes. Oh yes, you're eligible!« said Mr. Lorry. »If you say
eligible, you are eligible.«
    »Am I not prosperous?« asked Stryver.
    »Oh! if you come to prosperous, you are prosperous,« said Mr. Lorry.
    »And advancing?«
    »If you come to advancing, you know,« said Mr. Lorry, delighted to be able
to make another admission, »nobody can doubt that.«
    »Then what on earth is your meaning, Mr. Lorry?« demanded Stryver,
perceptibly crestfallen.
    »Well! I - Were you going there now?« asked Mr. Lorry.
    »Straight!« said Stryver, with a plump of his fist on the desk.
    »Then I think I wouldn't, if I was you.«
    »Why?« said Stryver. »Now, I'll put you in a corner,« forensically shaking a
forefinger at him. »You are a man of business and bound to have a reason. State
your reason. Why wouldn't you go?«
    »Because,« said Mr. Lorry, »I wouldn't go on such an object without having
some cause to believe that I should succeed.«
    »D-n ME!« cried Stryver, »but this beats everything.«
    Mr. Lorry glanced at the distant House, and glanced at the angry Stryver.
    »Here's a man of business - a man of years -
