Hewascharminglykind；heenteredwiththesweetestinterestintothestoryofmyeconomiclife，whichhadbeenfullofchangesandchancesalready。ButwhenIsaidveryseriouslythatnowIwastiredofthesefortuities，andwouldliketobesettledinsomething，heasked，withdancingeyes，\"Why，howoldareyou？\"
\"Iamtwenty—three，\"Ianswered，andthenthelaughingfittookhimagain。
\"Well，\"hesaid，\"youbeginyoung，outthere!\"
InmyheartIdidnotthinkthattwenty—threewassoveryyoung，butperhapsitwas；andifanyoneweretosaythatIhadbeenportrayinghereayouthwhoseaimswerecertainlybeyondhisachievements，whowasmorbidlysensitive，andifnotconceitedwasintolerablyconscious，whohadmetwithincrediblekindness，andhadsufferednomorethanwasgoodforhim，thoughhemightnothavemeritedhispainanymorethanhisjoy，IdonotknowthatIshouldgainsayhim，forIamnotatallsurethatI
wasnotjustthatkindofyouthwhenIpaidmyfirstvisittoNewEngland。