were worth. He would
not on any account have lessened his authority with them by becoming
a suppliant for increased payment. But for many years he had spent
much less than his income, and had known how to use his City
experiences in turning his savings to the best account. Thus, as
regarded Paradise Row and its neighbourhood, Zachary Fay was a rich
man.

He was now old, turned seventy, tall and thin, with long grey hair,
with a slight stoop in his shoulders,--but otherwise hale as well
as healthy. He went every day to his office, leaving his house with
strict punctuality at half-past eight, and entering the door of the
counting-house just as the clock struck nine. With equal accuracy he
returned home at six, having dined in the middle of the day at an
eating-house in the City. All this time was devoted to the interests
of the firm, except for three hours on Thursday, during which he
attended a meeting in a Quaker house of worship. On these occasions
Marion always joined him, making a journey into the City for the
purpose. She would fain have induced him also to accompany her on
Sundays to the English Church. But to this he never would consent
at her instance,--as he had refused to do so at the instance of his
wife. He was he said a Quaker, and did not mean to be aught else
than a Quaker. In truth, though he was very punctual at those Quaker
meetings, he was not at heart a religious man. To go through certain
formularies, Quaker though he was, was as sufficient to him as to
many other votaries of Church ordinances. He had been brought up to
attend Quaker meetings, and no doubt would continue to attend them
as long as his strength might suffice; but it may be presumed of him
without harsh judgment that the price of stocks was often present
to his mind during those tedious hours in the meeting-house. In
his language he always complied with the strict tenets of his sect,
"thou-ing" and "thee-ing" all those whom he addressed; but he had
assented to an omission in this matter on the part of his daughter,
recognizing the fact that there could be no falsehood in using a mode
of language common to all the world. "If a plural pronoun of ignoble
sound," so he said, "were used commonly for the singular because the
singular was too grand and authoritative for ordinary use, it was no
doubt a pity that the language should be so injured; but there could
be no untruth in such usage; and it was better that at any rate the
young should