TheArmeniansmiled。’Youwouldfindmeverydifferentfromthepublisher。’
’InmanypointsIhavenodoubtIshould，’Ireplied；’butatthepresentmomentIfeellikeabirdwhichhasescapedfromacage，and，thoughhungry，feelsnodispositiontoreturn。Ofwhatnationisthedarkmanbelowstairs，whomIsawwritingatthedesk？’
’HeisaMoldave，’saidtheArmenian；’thedogandherehiseyessparkleddeservestobecrucified，heiscontinuallymakingmistakes。’
TheArmenianagainrenewedhispropositionaboutZ-，whichIagainrefused，asIfeltbutlittleinclinationtoplacemyselfbeneaththejurisdictionofapersonwhowasinthehabitofcuffingthosewhomheemployed，whentheymademistakes。Ipresentlytookmydeparture；not，however，beforeIhadreceivedfromtheArmenianapressinginvitationtocalluponhimwheneverIshouldfeeldisposed。
CHAPTERXLVIII
Whattodo-Strongenough-Fameandprofit-Alliterativeeuphony-Excellentfellow-Listentome-Aplan-BagniggeWells。
ANXIOUSthoughtsfrequentlydisturbedmeatthistimewithrespecttowhatIwastodo，andhowsupportmyselfintheGreatCity。Myfutureprospectsweregloomyenough，andIlookedforwardandfeared；sometimesIfelthalfdisposedtoaccepttheofferoftheArmenian，andtocommenceforthwith，underhissuperintendence，thetranslationoftheHaikEsop；buttheremembranceofthecuffswhichIhadseenhimbestowupontheMoldavian，whenglancingoverhisshoulderintotheledgerorwhateveritwasonwhichhewasemployed，immediatelydrovetheinclinationfrommymind。IcouldnotsupporttheideaofthepossibilityofhisstaringovermyshoulderuponmytranslationoftheHaikEsop，and，dissatisfiedwithmyattempts，treatingmeashehadtreatedtheMoldavianclerk；placingmyselfinapositionwhichexposedmetosuchtreatmentwouldindeedbeplungingintothefireafterescapingfromthefrying-pan。Thepublisher，insolentandoverbearingashewas，whateverhemighthavewishedorthought，hadneverliftedhishandagainstme，ortoldmethatImeritedcrucifixion。
WhatwasItodo？turnporter？Iwasstrong；buttherewassomethingbesidesstrengthrequiredtoplythetradeofaporter-
amindofaparticularlyphlegmatictemperament，whichIdidnotpossess。WhatshouldIdo？enlistasasoldier？Iwastallenough；
butsomethingbesidesheightisrequiredtomakeamanplaywithcreditthepartofsoldier，Imeanaprivateone-aspirit，ifspirititcanbecalled，whichwillnotonlyenableamantosubmitwithpatiencetoinsolenceandabuse，andeventocuffsandkicks，butoccasionallytothelash。IfeltthatIwasnotqualifiedtobeasoldier，atleastaprivateone；farbetterbeadrudgetothemostferociousofpublishers，editingNewgatelives，andwritingineighteenpennyreviews-bettertotranslatetheHaikEsop，underthesuperintendenceoftenArmenians，thanbeaprivatesoldierintheEnglishservice；Ididnotdeciderashly-Iknewsomethingofsoldiering。WhatshouldIdo？IthoughtthatIwouldmakealastanddesperateattempttodisposeoftheballadsandofAbGwilym。
Ihadstillanideathat，providedIcouldpersuadeanyspiritedpublishertogivethesetranslationstotheworld，Ishouldacquirebothconsiderablefameandprofit；not，perhaps，aworld-embracingfamesuchasByron’s；butafamenottobesneeredat，whichwouldlastmeaconsiderabletime，andwouldkeepmyheartfrombreaking；-
profit，notequaltothatwhichScotthadmadebyhiswondrousnovels，butwhichwouldpreventmefromstarving，andenablemetoachievesomeotherliteraryenterprise。Ireadandre-readmyballads，andthemoreIreadthemthemoreIwasconvincedthatthepublic，intheeventoftheirbeingpublished，wouldfreelypurchase，andhailthemwiththemeritedapplause。Werenotthedeedsandadventureswonderfulandheart-stirring-fromwhichitistrueIcouldclaimnomerit，beingbutthetranslator；buthadI
notrenderedthemintoEnglish，withalltheiroriginalfire？Yes，IwasconfidentIhad；andIhadnodoubtthatthepublicwouldsayso。Andthen，withrespecttoAbGwilym，hadInotdoneasmuchjusticetohimastotheDanishballads；notonlyrenderingfaithfullyhisthoughts，imagery，andphraseology，butevenpreservinginmytranslationthealliterativeeuphonywhichconstitutesoneofthemostremarkablefeaturesofWelshprosody？
Yes，Ihadaccomplishedallthis；andIdoubtednotthatthepublicwouldreceivemytranslationsfromAbGwilymwithquiteasmucheagernessasmyversionoftheDanishballads。ButIfoundthepublishersasintractableasever，andtothisdaythepublichasneverhadanopportunityofdoingjusticetotheglowingfireofmyballadversification，andthealliterativeeuphonyofmyimitationsofAbGwilym。
IhadnotseenFrancisArdrysincethedayIhadseenhimtakinglessonsinelocution。OneafternoonasIwasseatedatmytable，myheadrestingonmyhands，heenteredmyapartment；sittingdown，heinquiredofmewhyIhadnotbeentoseehim。
’Imightaskthesamequestionofyou，’Ireplied。’Whereforehaveyounotbeentoseeme？’WhereuponFrancisArdrytoldmethathehadbeenmuchengagedinhisoratoricalexercises，alsoinescortingtheyoungFrenchwomanabouttoplacesofpublicamusement；hethenagainquestionedmeastothereasonofmynothavingbeentoseehim。
Ireturnedanevasiveanswer。Thetruthwas，thatforsometimepastmyappearance，owingtothestateofmyfinances，hadbeenrathershabby；andIdidnotwishtoexposeafashionableyoungmanlikeFrancisArdry，wholivedinafashionableneighbourhood，totheimputationofhavingashabbyacquaintance。IwasawarethatFrancisArdrywasanexcellentfellow；but，onthatveryaccount，I
felt，underexistingcircumstances，adelicacyinvisitinghim。
Itisverypossiblethathehadaninklingofhowmattersstood，ashepresentlybegantotalkofmyaffairsandprospects。Itoldhimofmylateillsuccesswiththebooksellers，andinveighedagainsttheirblindnesstotheirowninterestinrefusingtopublishmytranslations。’ThelastthatIaddressedmyselfto，’saidI，’toldmenottotroublehimagainunlessIcouldbringhimadecentnoveloratale。’
’Well，’saidFrank，’andwhydidyounotcarryhimadecentnoveloratale？’
’BecauseIhaveneither，’saidI；’andtowritethemis，Ibelieve，abovemycapacity。AtpresentIfeeldivestedofallenergy-
heartless，andalmosthopeless。’
’Iseehowitis，’saidFrancisArdry，’youhaveoverworkedyourself，and，worstofall，tonopurpose。Takemyadvice；castallcareaside，andonlythinkofdivertingyourselfforamonthatleast。’
’Divertmyself!’saidI；’andwhereamItofindthemeans？’
’Bethatcareonmyshoulders，’saidFrancisArdry。’Listentome-myuncleshavebeensodelightedwiththefavourableaccountswhichtheyhavelatelyreceivedfromT-ofmyprogressinoratory，that，inthewarmthoftheirhearts，theymademeapresentyesterdayoftwohundredpounds。ThisismoremoneythanIwant，atleastforthepresent；domethefavourtotakehalfofitasaloan-hearme，’saidhe，observingthatIwasabouttointerrupthim；’Ihaveaplaninmyhead-oneoftheprettiestintheworld。
ThesisterofmycharmerisjustarrivedfromFrance；shecannotspeakawordofEnglish；and，asAnnetteandmyselfaremuchengagedinourownmatters，wecannotpayhertheattentionwhichweshouldwish，andwhichshedeserves，forsheisatrulyfascinatingcreature，althoughsomewhatdifferingfrommycharmer，havingblueeyesandflaxenhair；whilst，Annette，onthecontrary-ButIhopeyouwillshortlyseeAnnette。Now，myplanisthis-
Takethemoney，dressyourselffashionably，andconductAnnette’ssistertoBagniggeWells。’
’AndwhatshouldwedoatBagniggeWells？’
’Do!’saidFrancisArdry。’Dance!’
’But，’saidI，’Iscarcelyknowanythingofdancing。’
’Thenhere’sanexcellentopportunityofimprovingyourself。LikemostFrenchwomen，shedancesdivinely；however，ifyouobjecttoBagniggeWellsanddancing，gotoBrighton，andremainthereamonthortwo，attheendofwhichtimeyoucanreturnwithyourmindrefreshedandinvigorated，andmaterials，perhaps，forataleornovel。’
’Ineverheardamorefoolish，plan，’saidI，’oronelesslikelytoterminateprofitablyorsatisfactorily。Ithankyou，however，foryouroffer，whichis，Idaresay，wellmeant。IfIamtoescapefrommycaresandtroubles，andfindmymindrefreshedandinvigorated，ImustadoptothermeansthanconductingaFrenchdemoiselletoBrightonorBagniggeWells，defrayingtheexpensebyborrowingfromafriend。’
CHAPTERXLIX
Singularpersonage-Alargesum-PapaofRome-WeareChristians-DegenerateArmenians-RootsofArarat-Regularfeatures。
THEArmenian!Ifrequentlysawthisindividual，availingmyselfofthepermissionwhichhehadgivenmetocalluponhim。Atrulysingularpersonagewashe，withhisloveofamassingmoney，andhisnationalitysostrongastobeakintopoetry。ManyanArmenianI
havesubsequentlyknownfondofmoney-getting，andnotdestituteofnationalspirit；butneveranother，who，inthemidstofhisschemesoflucre，wasatalltimeswillingtoenterintoaconversationonthestructureoftheHaiklanguage，orwhoeverofferedmemoneytorenderintoEnglishthefablesofZ-inthehopeofastonishingthestock-jobbersoftheExchangewiththewisdomoftheHaikEsop。
Buthewasfondofmoney，veryfond。WithinalittletimeIhadwonhisconfidencetosuchadegreethatheinformedmethatthegrandwishofhisheartwastobepossessedoftwohundredthousandpounds。
’Ithinkyoumightsatisfyyourselfwiththehalf，’saidI。’Onehundredthousandpoundsisalargesum。’
’Youaremistaken，’saidtheArmenian，’ahundredthousandpoundsisnothing。Myfatherleftmethatormoreathisdeath。No，I
shallneverbesatisfiedwithlessthantwo。’