Fyne very sensibly had set himself the mental task of discovering the self-interest.

I should not have thought him capable of so much cynicism.

He said to himself that for people of that sort (religious fears or the vanity of righteousness put aside) money--not great wealth, but money, just a little money--is the measure of virtue, of expediency, of wisdom--of pretty well everything.

But the girl was absolutely destitute.

The father was in prison after the most terribly complete and disgraceful smash of modern times.