“My boy,” said his mother to him, “all your cleverness, your breaking away from old things, and taking life in your own hands, doesn’t seem to bring you much happiness.”
“What is happiness!” he cried. “It’s nothing to me! How AM I to be happy?”
The plump question disturbed her.
“That’s for you to judge, my lad. But if you could meet some GOOD woman who would MAKE you happy — and you began to think of settling your life — when you have the means — so that you could work without all this fretting — it would be much better for you.”