ateandIdrank；and，asIateanddrank，Imusedwithinmyself，andmyeyeswerefrequentlydirectedtoasmallgreenbox，whichconstitutedpartofmyluggage，andwhich，withtherestofmythings，stoodinonecorneroftheroom，tillatlast，leavingmybreakfastunfinished，Irose，and，goingtothebox，unlockedit，andtookouttwoorthreebundlesofpaperstiedwithredtape，and，placingthemonthetable，Iresumedmyseatandmybreakfast，myeyesintentlyfixeduponthebundlesofpapersallthetime。
AndwhenIhaddrainedthelastcupofteaoutofadingyteapot，andatethelastsliceofthedingyloaf，Iuntiedoneofthebundles，andproceededtolookoverthepapers，whichwerecloselywrittenoverinasingularhand，andIreadforsometime，tillatlastIsaidtomyself，’Itwilldo。’AndthenIlookedattheotherbundleforsometimewithoutuntyingit；andatlastIsaid，’Itwilldoalso。’AndthenIturnedtothefire，and，puttingmyfeetagainstthesidesofthegrate，Ileanedbackonmychair，and，withmyeyesuponthefire，fellintodeepthought。
AndthereIcontinuedinthoughtbeforethefire，untilmyeyesclosed，andIfellasleep；whichwasnottobewonderedat，afterthefatigueandcoldwhichIhadlatelyundergoneonthecoach-top；
and，inmysleep，Iimaginedmyselfstillthere，amidstdarknessandrain，hurryingnowoverwildheaths，andnowalongroadsoverhungwiththickandumbrageoustrees，andsometimesmethoughtI
heardthehornoftheguard，andsometimesthevoiceofthecoachman，nowchiding，nowencouraginghishorses，astheytoiledthroughthedeepandmiryways。Atlengthatremendouscrackofawhipsalutedthetympanumofmyear，andIstartedupbroadawake，nearlyoversettingthechaironwhichIreclined-andlo!Iwasinthedingyroombeforethefire，whichwasbythistimehalfextinguished。InmydreamIhadconfoundedthenoiseofthestreetwiththoseofmynightjourney；thecrackwhichhadarousedmeI
soonfoundproceededfromthewhipofacarter，who，withmanyoaths，wasflogginghisteambelowthewindow。
Lookingataclockwhichstooduponthemantelpiece，Iperceivedthatitwaspasteleven；whereuponIsaidtomyself，’Iamwastingmytimefoolishlyandunprofitably，forgettingthatIamnowinthebigworld，withoutanythingtodependuponsavemyownexertions’；
andthenIadjustedmydress，and，lockingupthebundleofpaperswhichIhadnotread，Itieduptheother，and，takingitundermyarm，Iwentdownstairs；and，afteraskingaquestionortwoofthepeopleofthehouse，Isalliedforthintothestreetwithadeterminedlook，thoughatheartIfeltsomewhattimorousattheideaofventuringoutaloneintothemazesofthemightycity，ofwhichIhadheardmuch，butofwhich，ofmyownknowledge，Iknewnothing。
Ihad，however，nogreatcauseforanxietyinthepresentinstance；
IeasilyfoundmywaytotheplacewhichIwasinquestof-oneofthemanynewsquaresonthenorthernsideofthemetropolis，andwhichwasscarcelytenminutes’walkfromthestreetinwhichIhadtakenupmyabode。Arrivingbeforethedoorofatolerablylargehousewhichboreacertainnumber，Istoodstillforamomentinakindoftrepidation，lookinganxiouslyatthedoor；IthenslowlypassedontillIcametotheendofthesquare，whereIstoodstill，andponderedforawhile。Suddenly，however，likeonewhohasformedaresolution，Iclenchedmyrighthand，flingingmyhatsomewhatononeside，and，turningbackwithhastetothedoorbeforewhichIhadstopped，Isprangupthesteps，andgavealoudrap，ringingatthesametimethebellofthearea。Afterthelapseofaminutethedoorwasopenedbyamaid-servantofnoverycleanlyorprepossessingappearance，ofwhomIdemanded，inatoneofsomehauteur，whetherthemasterofthehousewasathome。
Glancingforamomentatthewhitepaperbundlebeneathmyarm，thehandmaidmadenoreplyinwords，but，withakindoftossofherhead，flungthedooropen，standingononesideasiftoletmeenter。Ididenter；andthehand-maid，havingopenedanotherdoorontherighthand，wentin，andsaidsomethingwhichIcouldnothear：afteraconsiderablepause，however，Iheardthevoiceofamansay，’Lethimcomein’；whereuponthehandmaid，comingout，motionedmetoenter，and，onmyobeying，instantlyclosedthedoorbehindme。
CHAPTERXXX
Thesinisterglance-Excellentcorrespondent-Quiteoriginal-Mysystem-Alosingtrade-Merit-StartingaReview-Whathaveyougot？-Stop!-DAIRYMAN’SDAUGHTER-Oxfordprinciples-Moreconversation-Howisthis？
THEREweretwoindividualsintheroominwhichInowfoundmyself；
itwasasmallstudy，surroundedwithbookcases，thewindowlookingoutuponthesquare。Oftheseindividualshewhoappearedtobetheprincipalstoodwithhisbacktothefireplace。Hewasatallstoutman，aboutsixty，dressedinaloosemorninggown。Theexpressionofhiscountenancewouldhavebeenbluffbutforacertainsinisterglance，andhiscomplexionmighthavebeencalledrubicundbutforaconsiderabletingeofbiliousyellow。HeeyedmeaskanceasIentered。Theother，apale，shrivelled-lookingperson，satatatableapparentlyengagedwithanaccount-book；hetooknomannerofnoticeofme，neveronceliftinghiseyesfromthepagebeforehim。
’Well，sir，whatisyourpleasure？’saidthebigman，inaroughtone，asIstoodthere，lookingathimwistfully-aswellImight-foruponthatman，atthetimeofwhichIamspeaking，myprincipal，Imaysaymyonly，hopesrested。
’Sir，’saidI，’mynameisso-and-so，andIamthebearerofalettertoyoufromMr。so-and-so，anoldfriendandcorrespondentofyours。’
Thecountenanceofthebigmaninstantlylostthesuspiciousandloweringexpressionwhichithadhithertoexhibited；hestrodeforward，and，seizingmebythehand，gavemeaviolentsqueeze。
’Mydearsir，’saidhe，’IamrejoicedtoseeyouinLondon。I
havebeenlonganxiousforthepleasure-weareoldfriends，thoughwehaveneverbeforemet。Taggart，’saidhetothemanwhosatatthedesk，’thisisourexcellentcorrespondent，thefriendandpupilofourotherexcellentcorrespondent。’
Thepale，shrivelled-lookingmanslowlyanddeliberatelyraisedhisheadfromtheaccount-book，andsurveyedmeforamomentortwo；
nottheslightestemotionwasobservableinhiscountenance。Itappearedtome，however，thatIcoulddetectadrolltwinkleinhiseye：hiscuriosity，ifhehadany，wassoongratified；hemademeakindofbow，pulledoutasnuff-box，tookapinchofsnuff，andagainbenthisheadoverthepage。
’Andnow，mydearsir，’saidthebigman，’praysitdown，andtellmethecauseofyourvisit。Ihopeyouintendtoremainhereadayortwo。’
’Morethanthat，’saidI，’IamcometotakeupmyabodeinLondon。’
’Gladtohearit；andwhathaveyoubeenaboutoflate？gotanythingwhichwillsuitme？Sir，Iadmireyourstyleofwriting，andyourmannerofthinking；andIammuchobligedtomygoodfriendandcorrespondentforsendingmesomeofyourproductions。
Iinsertedthemall，andwishedtherehadbeenmoreofthem-quiteoriginal，sir，quite：tookwiththepublic，especiallytheessayaboutthenon-existenceofanything。Idon’texactlyagreewithyouthough；Ihavemyownpeculiarideasaboutmatter-asyouknow，ofcourse，fromthebookIhavepublished。Nevertheless，averyprettypieceofspeculativephilosophy-nosuchthingasmatter-impossiblethatthereshouldbe-EXNIHILO-whatistheGreek？Ihaveforgot-veryprettyindeed；veryoriginal。’
’Iamafraid，sir，itwasverywrongtowritesuchtrash，andyetmoretoallowittobepublished。’
’Trash!notatall；averyprettypieceofspeculativephilosophy；
ofcourseyouwerewronginsayingthereisnoworld。Theworldmustexist，tohavetheshapeofapear；andthattheworldisshapedlikeapear，andnotlikeanapple，asthefoolsofOxfordsay，Ihavesatisfactorilyprovedinmybook。Now，iftherewerenoworld，whatwouldbecomeofmysystem？ButwhatdoyouproposetodoinLondon？’
’Hereistheletter，sir，’saidI，’ofourgoodfriend，whichI
havenotyetgiventoyou；IbelieveitwillexplaintoyouthecircumstancesunderwhichIcome。’
Hetooktheletter，andperuseditwithattention。’Hem!’saidhe，withasomewhatalteredmanner，’myfriendtellsmethatyouarecomeuptoLondonwiththeviewofturningyourliterarytalentstoaccount，anddesiresmetoassistyouinmycapacityofpublisherinbringingforthtwoorthreeworkswhichyouhaveprepared。MygoodfriendisperhapsnotawarethatforsometimepastIhavegivenuppublishing-wasobligedtodoso-hadmanyseverelosses-donothingatpresentinthatline，savesendingouttheMagazineonceamonth；and，betweenourselves，amthinkingofdisposingofthat-wishtoretire-hightimeatmyage-soyousee-’
’Iamverysorry，sir，tohearthatyoucannotassistme’andI
rememberthatIfeltverynervous；’Ihadhoped-’
’Alosingtrade，Iassureyou，sir；literatureisadrug。Taggart，whato’clockis？’
’Well，sir!’saidI，rising，’asyoucannotassistme，Iwillnowtakemyleave；Ithankyousincerelyforyourkindreception，andwilltroubleyounolonger。’
’Oh，don’tgo。Iwishtohavesomefurtherconversationwithyou；
andperhapsImayhituponsomeplantobenefityou。Ihonourmerit，andalwaysmakeapointtoencourageitwhenIcan；but-
Taggart，gotothebank，andtellthemtodishonourthebilltwelvemonthsafterdateforthirtypoundswhichbecomesdueto-morrow。I
amdissatisfiedwiththatfellowwhowrotethefairytales，andintendtogivehimallthetroubleinmypower。Makehaste。’