It is no good speaking to such folk： they cannot be idle， their nature is not generous enough； and they pass those hours in a sort of coma， which are not dedicated to furious moiling in the gold-mill. When they do not require to go to the office， when they are not hungry and have no mind to drink， the whole breathing world is a blank to them. If they have to wait an hour or so for a train， they fall into a stupid trance with their eyes open. To see them， you would suppose there was nothing to look at and no one to speak with； you would imagine they were paralyzed or alienated； and yet very possibly they are hard workers in their own way， and have good eyesight for a flaw in a deed or a turn of the market.