12
" It’s like this, Uncle Mike,” Ernest said, clasping his hands round his knees and looking up at the other man with his frank gaze, “I’ve got too much money.” The fat man began to laugh; he laughed and wheezed and laughed again. “You’ve got your asthma—” said Ernest anxiously. “You’re enough to give anyone—asthma,” gasped Uncle Mike. “Absolutely unique in this planet—don’t you know that the—whole world is on the verge of bankruptcy?” “I’m not talking about the whole world,” replied Ernest. “I’m talking about myself. Here am I, a strong healthy man, living in luxury—it’s not right.” “You can help people, Ernest.” “There is nobody here that needs help,” Ernest replied, “nobody really poor. Of course I can give money away to people, but it doesn’t do much good—in fact I’m beginning to see that it does harm. People here think that I’ve got plenty of money and they come to me with tales—not always strictly true—and expect me to help them. "
― D.E. Stevenson , Miss Buncle's Book (Barbara Buncle #1)
20
" (Mr. Black his name was, and he was one of Mrs. Dick’s paying guests) had looked up from his desk and seen who it was and gone on writing for at least two minutes before he came to see what she wanted. No need to bother about that old frump, he had said to himself—or Barbara thought that he had. Barbara was sure that he knew her account was overdrawn; perhaps he had been told not to cash any more checks for Miss Buncle. When he had quite finished what he was doing he lounged over to the counter and she produced the note. “Ha, don’t often see these chaps about!” he had remarked in his familiar way, which Barbara detested. “A little present from my uncle,” said Barbara, quite casually, as if it were quite a usual occurrence to receive hundred pound notes from your uncle. “Must be a rich man, your uncle,” suggested Mr. Black, filling up forms—his manner had altered toward her, at least so Barbara imagined; he was much more respectful and attentive. It was the rich uncle in the background she supposed. "
― D.E. Stevenson , Miss Buncle's Book (Barbara Buncle #1)