A young man’s impossible interest payments

I was sitting by the side of a young man who was explaining to me his serious financial troubles. I did not know him; he was a red-haired, plain but pleasant youth, and was clearly very much worried. He had before him a paper on which there were written columns of figures, at which I looked over his shoulder. These were, it appeared, the sums, at varying rates per cent., that he had arranged to pay to money lenders.

"Can you possibly explain to me how much I've got to pay, and how much I've got left?" asked the youth.

"I don't understand a bit," I said, "but as far as I can make out from this paper you seem to have covenanted to pay a hundred per cent, per annum."

"Yes," he said, "that's about it, I expect. Doesn't it seem to you right and fair?"

I felt dreadfully puzzled (as I always am by figures).

"I don't know," I said, "but I think that seems all right for once, doesn't it? — a hundred per cent, once, but not a hundred per cent, per annum——"

"Oh," said the young man, "by ——! Is that how it strikes you?"