"He thinks with regret of the great days when he could at harvest time at least go down into Hungary and work on the big estates and bring back, as his wage, a side of bacon for the winter. That was wealth, to him"

In this quote, the speaker assesses a time when he had the ability to take a trip to Hungary throughout harvest season and work on large estates. He remembers this time with a sense of yearning and remorse, as it was a time when he might make an excellent wage and attend to himself and his family. The mention of restoring a side of bacon for the winter highlights the simplicity of his requirements and the value he put on effort and earning a living. To him, this held true wealth, as it allowed him to sustain himself and his enjoyed ones. The quote likewise recommends a shift in the speaker's situations, as he is no longer able to take part in this type of work and attend to himself in the exact same method.