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。’