The Confidence-Man Chapters 40 - 41

In which the fortunes and misfortunes of China Aster, a humble candle-maker, are related with a touch of sober reflection on the perils of friendship mingled with financial aid, and the inescapable consequences of hope mingled with reality. The tale concludes in a grave yet thoughtful meditation on trust and the mutable nature of human character, leaving friends to grapple with the enduring fissures between confidence and caution.