But he knows a good
deal of that particular business, and I did not dream the times were going
to be so bad....I doubt if I ever see it again....But you must not run the
risk of losing yours. I want you to promise me that on Monday morning you
will go down to the City Hall and revoke your power of attorney. And as
much for Morty's sake as for your own. He will lose your money if he keeps
it in his hands, and then he will suffer agonies of remorse. He will be
infinitely more miserable than if he merely failed in business. That is
honorable. It would only hurt his pride. Then he could get a position
again, and you would have your own income."
"But do you mean to say that if I did revoke my power of attorney and he
asked me later for money to save his business that I should not give it to
him?"
"Yes, I mean just that. Morty will never take any of the prizes in the
business world. He may hold on and make a living, that is all. He has
plenty to start with, and tells me he is doing fairly well, in spite of the
times. But he would do better in the long run as a clerk. In time he
might get a large salary as a sort of general director of all the routine
business of some large house--"
Alexina curled her lip. "I do not want him to be a clerk."
"No, of course you don't! But you'd like it still less if he cleaned you
out. You--would have to sell or rent your old home and live on a hundred
and fifty dollars a month in a flat in some out-of-the-way quarter.
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