I nodded to the colonel, who came in with his usual leisurely step, sat himself down, and took off his gloves.

I roused myself to say: "What can I do for you, colonel ?" He waited till the door closed behind Jones, and then said: "I've got to the bottom of it at last, Martin." This was true of myself also, but the colonel meant it in a different sense.
"Bottom of what ?" I asked, rather testily.
"That old scamp's villainy," said he, jerking his thumb toward the Piazza and the statue of the Liberator.

"He's very 'cute, but he's made a mistake at last." "Do come to the point, colonel.

What's it all about ?" "Would you be surprised to hear," said the colonel, adopting a famous mode of speech, "that the interest on the debt would not be paid on the 31st ?" "No, I shouldn't," said I resignedly.
"Would you be surprised to hear that no more interest would ever be paid ?" "The devil!" I cried, leaping up.

"What do you mean, man ?" "The President," said he calmly, "will, on the 31st instant, _repudiate the national debt_!" I had nothing left to say.