But it is not on account of these disadvantages that Mr. Reiss considers
himself ill treated by Fate. It is because since the War he regards
himself as a ruined man. Half his fortune remains; but Mr. Reiss, though
he hates the rich, despises the merely well-off. Of a man whose income
would generally be considered wealth he says, "Bah! He hasn't a penny."
Below this level every one is "a pauper"; now he rather envies such
pitiable people because "they've got nothing to lose." His philosophy
of life is simple to grasp, and he can never understand why so many
people refuse to accept it. If they did, he thinks that the world would
not be such an unpleasant place to live in. Life in his opinion is
simply a fight for money. All the trouble in the world is caused by
the want of it, all the happiness man requires can be purchased with
it. Those who think the contrary are fools, and if they go to the length
of professing indifference to money they are "humbugs."

"Humbug" and "Bunkum" are favourite words of his. He generally dismisses
remarks and stops discussion by the use of either or both. His solitary
term of praise is the word "respectable" and he uses it sparingly,
being as far as he can conscientiously go in approval of any one; he
thus eulogizes those who live within their means and have never been
known to be hard up. People who are hard up are "wasters." No one has
any business to be hard up; "respectable" men live on what they've
got. If any one were to ask him how people are to live within their
means when they've not got any, he would reply with the word "bunkum"
and clinch the argument with a grunt. It will be understood that
conversation with Mr. Adolf Reiss is not easy.

* * * * *

A knock on the door. Mr. Reiss's servant announces some one and