Thusitcametopassthat，afterthefirstspurt，thebusinessfellbacktoaboutwhereithadbeenbeforeSusancame。
Albert，theAustrianwaiter，explainedtoSusanwhyitwasthatherpopularitydidthehouseapparentlysolittlegood——explainedwithtruthwhereshesuspectedkind-heartedplotting，thatshehadarresteditslatterlyswift-downwardslide。Shewasgladtohearwhathehadtosay，asitwasmostpleasanttohervanity；butshecouldnotgetoverthedepressionofthecentralfact——shewasnotmakingthesortofbusinesstojustifyaskingLangeformorethanboardandlodging；
shewasnotinthewayofmakingthemoneythatwaseachdaymorenecessary，asherlittlestoredwindled。
Thequestionofgettingmoneytoliveonisusuallydismissedinaprincelywaybywritersabouthumanlife。Itisinreality，exceptwiththefewrich，theever-presentquestion——asever-presentasthenecessityofbreathing——anditisnot，likebreathing，amattersettledautomatically。Itdominatesthought；itdeterminesaction。Toleaveitoutofaccountever，inwritingahumanhistory，istomisrepresentanddistortasutterlyaswouldaportraitpainterwhoneglectedtogivehissubjecteyes，orahead，even。Withtheoverwhelmingmassofus，moneyisatalltimesallourliveslongtheparamountquestion——fortobewithoutitisdestructionworsethandeath，andwearealmostallperilouslyneartobeingwithoutit。Thus，airilytopassjudgmentuponmenandwomenastotheirdoingsingettingmoneyfornecessaries，forwhatthecompulsionofcustomandhabithasmadenecessariestothem——airilytojudgethemfortheirdoingsinsuchdirestraitsislikesittingcalmlyonshoreandcriticizingtheconductofpassengersandsailorsinastormbesetsinkingship。Itisoneofthefavoritepastimesofthecomfortableclasses；itmakesanexcellentimpressionastoone”svirtueuponone”saudience；itgivesusapleasingsenseofsuperiordelicacyandhumor。Butitisnonethelessmeanandridiculous。Insteadofcondemnation，theworldneedstobestiritselftoremovethestupidandcruelcreaturesthatmakeevilconductnecessary；forcananyone，notaprig，saythatthesmallpartofthehumanracethatdoeswelldoessobecauseitisnaturallybetterthanthelargepartthatdoesill？
Springwasslowinopening。Susan”sonedresswasinadeplorablestate。Thelininghunginrags。Thenevergoodmaterialwasstretchedoutofshape，wasfrayedandworngrayinspots，wasbeyondbeingmadeupaspresentablebythemostcarefulpressingandcleaning。Shehadbeenforcedtobuyahat，shoes，underclothes。Shehadonlythreedollarsandafewcentsleft，andshesimplydidnotdarelayitalloutindressmaterials。Yet，lessthanallwouldnotbeenough；allwouldnotbeenough。