Is it?"
"What difference does it make? Have you ever been in love
before?"
"What difference does that make? If you answer my question I
shall answer yours." "Well, then, I have never been in love
before."
"And I have."
He was intensely interested, and I confided my love story in him,
which served to strengthen our friendship still further. When I
concluded my narrative he said, thoughtfully: "Of course you don't
love Madame Klesmer. I tell you what, Levinsky, you are still in
love with Matilda."
I made no answer
"Anyhow, you don't love Madame Klesmer."
This time he said it without reproach. Once I was in love with
somebody else I was excused.
The next "season" came around. I was a full-fledged helper now,
and, according to the customary arrangement, I received thirty per
cent. of what Joe received for my work. This brought me from
twenty to twenty-five dollars a week, quite an overwhelming sum,
according to my then standard of income and expenditures. I
saved about fifteen dollars a week. I shall never forget the day
when my capital reached the round figure of one hundred dollars.
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