in time that I have the strings in my hands," the latter added.
"Just take life easy, and let me introduce you to the right people."

All of which sounded very attractive. "But are you sure," asked
Montague, "that you understand what I'm here for? I don't want to
get into the Four Hundred, you know--I want to practise law."

"In the first place," replied Oliver, "don't talk about the Four
Hundred--it's vulgar and silly; there's no such thing. In the next
place, you're going to live in New York, and you want to know the
right people. If you know them, you can practise law, or practise
billiards, or practise anything else that you fancy. If you don't
know them, you might as well go practise in Dahomey, for all you can
accomplish. You might come on here and start in for yourself, and in
twenty years you wouldn't get as far as you can get in two weeks, if
you'll let me attend to it."

Montague was nearly five years his brother's senior, and at home had
taken a semi-paternal attitude toward him. Now, however, the
situation seemed to have reversed itself. With a slight smile of
amusement, he subsided, and proceeded to put himself into the
attitude of a docile student of the mysteries of the Metropolis.

They agreed that they would say nothing about these matters to the
others. Mrs. Montague was half blind, and would lead her placid,
indoor existence with old Mammy Lucy. As for Alice, she was a woman,
and would not trouble herself with economics; if fairy godmothers
chose to shower gifts upon her, she would take them.

Alice was built to live in a palace, anyway, Oliver said. He had