I am not lacking in sense of humour, but I prefer to treat these aspects of life from an impartial standpoint.

The man who laughs takes the side of a cruel omnipotence, if one can imagine such a thing.
I want to take no side at all; simply to say, Look, this is the kind of thing that happens.' 'I admire your honesty, Biffen,' said Reardon, sighing.

'You will never sell work of this kind, yet you have the courage to go on with it because you believe in it.' 'I don't know; I may perhaps sell it some day.' 'In the meantime,' said Reardon, laying down his pipe, 'suppose we eat a morsel of something.

I'm rather hungry.' In the early days of his marriage Reardon was wont to offer the friends who looked in on Sunday evening a substantial supper; by degrees the meal had grown simpler, until now, in the depth of his poverty, he made no pretence of hospitable entertainment.

It was only because he knew that Biffen as often as not had nothing whatever to eat that he did not hesitate to offer him a slice of bread and butter and a cup of tea.