wasperhapsforgotten-ownerdead，perhaps？Afterthinkingitover，afewdays，inthecourseofwhichhecouldpumpnothingoutofLyonsInnaboutthefurniture，hebecamedesperate，andresolvedtoborrowthattable。Hedidso，thatnight。Hehadnothadthetablelong，whenhedeterminedtoborrowaneasy-chair；hehadnothadthatlong，whenhemadeuphismindtoborrowabookcase；then，acouch；then，acarpetandrug。Bythattime，hefelthewas’infurnituresteppedinsofar，’asthatitcouldbenoworsetoborrowitall。Consequently，heborroweditall，andlockedupthecellarforgood。Hehadalwayslockedit，aftereveryvisit。Hehadcarriedupeveryseparatearticleinthedeadofthenight，and，atthebest，hadfeltaswickedasaResurrectionMan。Everyarticlewasblueandfurrywhenbroughtintohisrooms，andhehadhad，inamurderousandguiltysortofway，topolishitupwhileLondonslept。
Mr。Testatorlivedinhisfurnishedchamberstwoorthreeyears，ormore，andgraduallylulledhimselfintotheopinionthatthefurniturewashisown。Thiswashisconvenientstateofmindwhen，lateonenight，astepcameupthestairs，andahandpassedoverhisdoorfeelingforhisknocker，andthenonedeepandsolemnrapwasrappedthatmighthavebeenaspringinMr。Testator’seasy-
chairtoshoothimoutofit；sopromptlywasitattendedwiththateffect。
Withacandleinhishand，Mr。Testatorwenttothedoor，andfoundthere，averypaleandverytallman；amanwhostooped；amanwithveryhighshoulders，averynarrowchest，andaveryrednose；ashabby-genteelman。Hewaswrappedinalongthread-bareblackcoat，fastenedupthefrontwithmorepinsthanbuttons，andunderhisarmhesqueezedanumbrellawithoutahandle，asifhewereplayingbagpipes。Hesaid，’Iaskyourpardon，butcanyoutellme-’andstopped；hiseyesrestingonsomeobjectwithinthechambers。
’CanItellyouwhat？’askedMr。Testator，notinghisstoppagewithquickalarm。
’Iaskyourpardon，’saidthestranger，’but-thisisnottheinquiryIwasgoingtomake-DOIseeinthere，anysmallarticleofpropertybelongingtoME？’
Mr。Testatorwasbeginningtostammerthathewasnotaware-whenthevisitorslippedpasthim，intothechambers。There，inagoblinwaywhichfrozeMr。Testatortothemarrow，heexamined，first，thewriting-table，andsaid，’Mine；’then，theeasy-chair，andsaid，’Mine；’then，thebookcase，andsaid，’Mine；’then，turnedupacornerofthecarpet，andsaid，’Mine！’inaword，inspectedeveryitemoffurniturefromthecellar，insuccession，andsaid，’Mine！’Towardstheendofthisinvestigation，Mr。
Testatorperceivedthathewassoddenwithliquor，andthattheliquorwasgin。Hewasnotunsteadywithgin，eitherinhisspeechorcarriage；buthewasstiffwithgininbothparticulars。
Mr。Testatorwasinadreadfulstate，foraccordingtohismakingoutofthestorythepossibleconsequencesofwhathehaddoneinrecklessnessandhardihood，flasheduponhimintheirfulnessforthefirsttime。Whentheyhadstoodgazingatoneanotherforalittlewhile，hetremulouslybegan:
’Sir，Iamconsciousthatthefullestexplanation，compensation，andrestitution，areyourdue。Theyshallbeyours。Allowmetoentreatthat，withouttemper，withoutevennaturalirritationonyourpart，wemayhavealittle-’
’Dropofsomethingtodrink，’interposedthestranger。’Iamagreeable。’
Mr。Testatorhadintendedtosay，’alittlequietconversation，’
butwithgreatreliefofmindadoptedtheamendment。Heproducedadecanterofgin，andwasbustlingaboutforhotwaterandsugar，whenhefoundthathisvisitorhadalreadydrunkhalfofthedecanter’scontents。WithhotwaterandsugarthevisitordranktheremainderbeforehehadbeenanhourinthechambersbythechimesofthechurchofSt。MaryintheStrand；andduringtheprocesshefrequentlywhisperedtohimself，’Mine！’
Thegingone，andMr。Testatorwonderingwhatwastofollowit，thevisitorroseandsaid，withincreasedstiffness，’Atwhathourofthemorning，sir，willitbeconvenient？’Mr。Testatorhazarded，’Atten？’’Sir，’saidthevisitor，’atten，tothemoment，Ishallbehere。’HethencontemplatedMr。Testatorsomewhatatleisure，andsaid，’Godblessyou！Howisyourwife？’Mr。Testatorwhoneverhadawiferepliedwithmuchfeeling，’Deeplyanxious，poorsoul，butotherwisewell。’Thevisitorthereuponturnedandwentaway，andfelltwiceingoingdown-stairs。Fromthathourhewasneverheardof。Whetherhewasaghost，oraspectralillusionofconscience，oradrunkenmanwhohadnobusinessthere，orthedrunkenrightfulownerofthefurniture，withatransitorygleamofmemory；whetherhegotsafehome，orhadnotimetogetto；whetherhediedofliquorontheway，orlivedinliquoreverafterwards；
heneverwasheardofmore。Thiswasthestory，receivedwiththefurnitureandheldtobeassubstantial，byitssecondpossessorinanuppersetofchambersingrimLyonsInn。
Itistoberemarkedofchambersingeneral，thattheymusthavebeenbuiltforchambers，tohavetherightkindofloneliness。Youmaymakeagreatdwelling-houseverylonely，butisolatingsuitesofroomsandcallingthemchambers，butyoucannotmakethetruekindofloneliness。Indwelling-houses，therehavebeenfamilyfestivals；childrenhavegrowninthem，girlshavebloomedintowomeninthem，courtshipsandmarriageshavetakenplaceinthem。
Truechambersneverwereyoung，childish，maidenly；neverhaddollsinthem，orrocking-horses，orchristenings，orbetrothals，orlittlecoffins。LetGray’sInnidentifythechildwhofirsttouchedhandsandheartswithRobinsonCrusoe，inanyoneofitsmany’sets，’andthatchild’slittlestatue，inwhitemarblewithagoldeninscription，shallbeatitsservice，atmycostandcharge，asadrinkingfountainforthespirit，tofreshenitsthirstysquare。LetLincoln’sproducefromallitshouses，atwentiethoftheprocessionderivablefromanydwelling-houseone-twentiethofitsage，offairyoungbrideswhomarriedforloveandhope，notsettlements，andalltheVice-Chancellorsshallthenceforwardbekeptinnosegaysfornothing，onapplicationtothewriterhereof。
ItisnotdeniedthatontheterraceoftheAdelphi，orinanyofthestreetsofthatsubterranean-stable-hauntedspot，oraboutBedford-row，orJames-streetofthatilkagrewsomeplace，oranywhereamongtheneighbourhoodsthathavedonefloweringandhaveruntoseed，youmayfindChambersrepletewiththeaccommodationsofSolitude，Closeness，andDarkness，whereyoumaybeaslow-
spiritedasinthegenuinearticle，andmightbeaseasilymurdered，withtheplacidreputationofhavingmerelygonedowntothesea-side。But，themanywatersoflifedidrunmusicalinthosedrychannelsonce；-amongtheInns，never。TheonlypopularlegendknowninrelationtoanyoneofthedullfamilyofInns，isadarkOldBaileywhisperconcerningClement’s，andimportinghowtheblackcreaturewhoholdsthesun-dialthere，wasanegrowhoslewhismasterandbuiltthedismalpileoutofthecontentsofhisstrongbox-forwhicharchitecturaloffencealoneheoughttohavebeencondemnedtoliveinit。But，whatpopulacewouldwastefancyuponsuchaplace，oronNewInn，StapleInn，Barnard’sInn，oranyoftheshabbycrew？
Thegenuinelaundress，too，isaninstitutionnottobehadinitsentiretyoutofandawayfromthegenuineChambers。Again，itisnotdeniedthatyoumayberobbedelsewhere。Elsewhereyoumayhave-formoney-dishonesty，drunkenness，dirt，laziness，andprofoundincapacity。Buttheveritableshining-red-facedshamelesslaundress；thetrueMrs。Sweeney-infigure，colour，texture，andsmell，liketheolddampfamilyumbrella；thetip-topcomplicatedabominationofstockings，spirits，bonnet，limpness，looseness，andlarceny；isonlytobedrawnatthefountain-head。Mrs。Sweeneyisbeyondthereachofindividualart。Itrequirestheunitedeffortsofseveralmentoensurethatgreatresult，anditisonlydevelopedinperfectionunderanHonourableSocietyandinanInnofCourt。
TherearenotmanyplacesthatIfinditmoreagreeabletorevisitwhenIaminanidlemood，thansomeplacestowhichIhaveneverbeen。For，myacquaintancewiththosespotsisofsuchlongstanding，andhasripenedintoanintimacyofsoaffectionateanature，thatItakeaparticularinterestinassuringmyselfthattheyareunchanged。
IneverwasinRobinsonCrusoe’sIsland，yetIfrequentlyreturnthere。Thecolonyheestablishedonitsoonfadedaway，anditisuninhabitedbyanydescendantsofthegraveandcourteousSpaniards，orofWillAtkinsandtheothermutineers，andhasrelapsedintoitsoriginalcondition。Notatwigofitswickerhousesremains，itsgoatshavelongrunwildagain，itsscreamingparrotswoulddarkenthesunwithacloudofmanyflamingcoloursifagunwerefiredthere，nofaceiseverreflectedinthewatersofthelittlecreekwhichFridayswamacrosswhenpursuedbyhistwobrothercannibalswithsharpenedstomachs。AftercomparingnoteswithothertravellerswhohavesimilarlyrevisitedtheIslandandconscientiouslyinspectedit，IhavesatisfiedmyselfthatitcontainsnovestigeofMr。Atkins’sdomesticityortheology，thoughhistrackonthememorableeveningofhislandingtosethiscaptainashore，whenhewasdecoyedaboutandroundaboutuntilitwasdark，andhisboatwasstove，andhisstrengthandspiritsfailedhim，isyetplainlytobetraced。Soisthehill-toponwhichRobinsonwasstruckdumbwithjoywhenthereinstatedcaptainpointedtotheship，ridingwithinhalfamileoftheshore，thatwastobearhimaway，inthenine-and-twentiethyearofhisseclusioninthatlonelyplace。Soisthesandybeachonwhichthememorablefootstepwasimpressed，andwherethesavageshauleduptheircanoeswhentheycameashoreforthosedreadfulpublicdinners，whichledtoadancingworsethanspeech-making。Soisthecavewheretheflaringeyesoftheoldgoatmadesuchagoblinappearanceinthedark。SoisthesiteofthehutwhereRobinsonlivedwiththedogandtheparrotandthecat，andwhereheenduredthosefirstagoniesofsolitude，which-strangetosay-neverinvolvedanyghostlyfancies；acircumstancesoveryremarkable，thatperhapsheleftoutsomethinginwritinghisrecord？Roundhundredsofsuchobjects，hiddeninthedensetropicalfoliage，thetropicalseabreaksevermore；andoverthemthetropicalsky，savingintheshortrainyseason，shinesbrightandcloudless。
Neither，wasIeverbelatedamongwolves，onthebordersofFranceandSpain；nor，didIever，whennightwasclosinginandthegroundwascoveredwithsnow，drawupmylittlecompanyamongsomefelledtreeswhichservedasabreastwork，andtherefireatrainofgunpowdersodexterouslythatsuddenlywehadthreeorfourscoreblazingwolvesilluminatingthedarknessaroundus。
Nevertheless，Ioccasionallygobacktothatdismalregionandperformthefeatagain；whenindeedtosmellthesingeingandthefryingofthewolvesafire，andtoseethemsettingoneanotheralightastheyrushandtumble，andtobeholdthemrollinginthesnowvainlyattemptingtoputthemselvesout，andtoheartheirhowlingstakenupbyalltheechoesaswellasbyalltheunseenwolveswithinthewoods，makesmetremble。