I had my doubts.
I regretted having to tell Donna Antonia what I did not believe to be true, but these things are incidental to revolutions--a point of resemblance between them and commercial life.
When I arrived at the bank I dispatched brief answers to my budget of letters; each of the answers was to the same purport, namely, that I should be at the barracks at the appointed time.

I need not trouble the reader with the various wrappings in which this essential piece of intelligence was involved.

I then had a desperate encounter with Jones; business was slack, and Jones was fired with the unholy desire of seizing the opportunity thus offered to make an exhaustive inquiry into the state of our reserve.

He could not understand my sudden punctiliousness as to times and seasons, and I was afraid I should have to tell him plainly that only over my lifeless body should he succeed in investing the contents of the safe.

At last I effected a diversion by persuading him to give Mrs.Jones a jaunt into the country, and, thus left in peace, I spent my afternoon in making final preparations.