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MY fortune's made. 149 
to repress their risible tendencies, and therefore 
deemed it best to throw off all restraint on the 
subject. 
" The matter ? Nothing's the matter, I believe. 
Why do you ask ? " Douglass looked grave. 
" Well may we ask what's the matter I " broke 
in Cora, energetically. " How could you come 
here in such a plight?" 
"In such a plight?" And Edward looked 
down at himself, felt of his beard, and run his fin- 
gers through his hair. " What's the matter? Is 
any thing wrong ? " 
" You look as if you had just waked up from a 
nap of a week, with your clothes on, and come 
off without washing your face or combing your 
hair," said my husband. 
" O ! " And Edward's countenance brightened 
a little. Then he said, with much gravity of 
manner, 
" I've been extremely hurried of late, and only 
left my store a few minutes ago. I hardly thought 
it worth while to go home to dress up. I knew 
you were all friends here. Besides, as my for- 
tune's made^^^ and he glanced, with a looJt not to 
be mistaken, towards his wife, "I don't feel 
called upon to give as much attention to mere 
dress as formerly. Before I was married, it was 
necessary to be particular in these matters, but 
now it is of no consequence." 
I turned towards Cora. Her face was like crim- 
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