‘Mercenaries aren’t all they used to be,’ grumbled the man as he sourly blotted it. ‘No? To my eye they seem very much as violent-tempered and mean-spirited as ever. “Things aren’t what they used to be” is the rallying cry of small minds. When men say things used to be better, they invariably mean they were better for them, because they were young, and had all their hopes intact. The world is bound to look a darker place as you slide into the grave.’
