COMTESSE. As I have read, a self-made man always begins by picking up
a pin. After that, as the memoirs say, his rise was rapid.

[DAVID, however, is once more master of himself, and indeed has begun
to tot up the cost of their garments.]

DAVID. It wasn't a pin he picked up, my lady; it was L300.

ALICK [who feels that JOHN's greatness has been outside the
conversation quite long enough]. And his rise wasn't so rapid, just
at first, David!

DAVID. He had his fight. His original intention was to become a
minister; he's university-educated, you know; he's not a working-man
member.

ALICK [with reverence]. He's an M.A. But while he was a student he
got a place in an iron-cementer's business.

COMTESSE [now far out of her depths]. Iron-cementer?

DAVID. They scrape boilers.

COMTESSE. I see. The fun men have, Sybil!

DAVID [with some solemnity]. There have been millions made in
scraping boilers. They say, father, he went into business so as to be
able to pay off the L300.

ALICK [slily]. So I've heard.