AtrulysingularmanwasthissameColonelB-，ofLondonderryinIreland；apersonageofmoststrangeandincrediblefeatsanddaring，whohadbeenapartizansoldier，abravo-who，assistedbycertaindiscontentedtroopers，nearlysucceededinstealingthecrownandregaliafromtheTowerofLondon；whoattemptedtohangtheDukeofOrmondatTyburn；andwhosestrange，eventfulcareerdidnotterminateevenwithhislife，hisdeadbody，onthecirculationofanunfoundedreportthathedidnotcometohisdeathbyfairmeans，havingbeenexhumedbythemobofhisnativeplace，wherehehadretiredtodie，andcarriedinthecoffinthroughthestreets。
　　OfhislifeIhadinsertedanaccountintheNEWGATELIVESAND
　　TRIALS；itwasbareandmeagre，andwritteninthestiff，awkwardstyleoftheseventeenthcentury；ithad，however，stronglycaptivatedmyimagination，andInowthoughtthatoutofitsomethingbettercouldbemade；that，ifIaddedtotheadventures，andpurifiedthestyle，Imightfashionoutofitaverydecenttaleornovel。Onasudden，however，theproverbofmendingoldgarmentswithnewclothoccurredtome。’Iamafraid，’saidI，’anynewadventureswhichIcaninventwillnotfadgewellwiththeoldtale；onewillbutspoiltheother。’IhadbetterhavenothingtodowithColonelB-，thoughtI，butboldlyandindependentlysitdownandwritethelifeofJosephSell。
　　ThisJosephSell，dearreader，wasafictitiouspersonagewhohadjustcomeintomyhead。Ihadneverevenheardofthename，butjustatthatmomentithappenedtocomeintomyhead；Iwouldwriteanentirelyfictitiousnarrative，calledtheLIFEANDADVENTURESOF
　　JOSEPHSELL，thegreattraveller。
　　Ihadbetterbeginatonce，thoughtI；andremovingthebreadandthejug，whichlatterwasnowempty，Iseizedpenandpaper，andforthwithessayedtowritethelifeofJosephSell，butsoondiscoveredthatitismucheasiertoresolveuponathingthantoachieveit，oreventocommenceit；forthelifeofmeIdidnotknowhowtobegin，and，aftertryinginvaintowritealine，I
　　thoughtitwouldbeaswelltogotobed，anddefermyprojectedundertakingtillthemorrow。
　　SoIwenttobed，butnottosleep。DuringthegreaterpartofthenightIlayawake，musingupontheworkwhichIhaddeterminedtoexecute。Foralongtimemybrainwasdryandunproductive；I
　　couldformnoplanwhichappearedfeasible。AtlengthIfeltwithinmybrainakindlyglow；itwasthecommencementofinspiration；inafewminutesIhadformedmyplan；Ithenbegantoimaginethescenesandtheincidents。Scenesandincidentsflittedbeforemymind’seyesoplentifully，thatIknewnothowtodisposeofthem；Iwasinaregularembarrassment。AtlengthIgotoutofthedifficultyintheeasiestmannerimaginable，namely，byconsigningtothedepthsofoblivionallthefeeblerandlessstimulantscenesandincidents，andretainingthebetterandmoreimpressiveones。BeforemorningIhadsketchedthewholeworkonthetabletsofmymind，andthenresignedmyselftosleepinthepleasingconvictionthatthemostdifficultpartofmyundertakingwasachieved。
　　CHAPTERLVI
　　Considerablysobered-Powerofwriting-Thetempter-Hungrytalent-Workconcluded。
　　RATHERlateinthemorningIawoke；forafewminutesIlaystill，perfectlystill；myimaginationwasconsiderablysobered；thescenesandsituationswhichhadpleasedmesomuchovernightappearedtomeinafarlesscaptivatingguisethatmorning。I
　　feltlanguidandalmosthopeless-thethought，however，ofmysituationsoonrousedme-Imustmakeanefforttoimprovethepostureofmyaffairs；therewasnotimetobelost；soIsprangoutofbed，breakfastedonbreadandwater，andthensatdowndoggedlytowritethelifeofJosephSell。
　　Itwasagreatthingtohaveformedmyplan，andtohavearrangedthescenesinmyhead，asIhaddoneontheprecedingnight。Thechiefthingrequisiteatpresentwasthemeremechanicalactofcommittingthemtopaper。ThisIdidnotfindatfirstsoeasyasIcouldwish-Iwantedmechanicalskill；butIpersevered，andbeforeeveningIhadwrittentenpages。Ipartookofsomebreadandwater；andbeforeIwenttobedthatnight，IhadcompletedfifteenpagesofmylifeofJosephSell。
　　ThenextdayIresumedmytask-Ifoundmypowerofwritingconsiderablyincreased；mypenhurriedrapidlyoverthepaper-mybrainwasinawonderfullyteemingstate；manyscenesandvisionswhichIhadnotthoughtofbeforewereevolved，and，asfastasevolved，writtendown；theyseemedtobemorepattomypurpose，andmorenaturaltomyhistory，thanmanyotherswhichIhadimaginedbefore，andwhichImadenowgiveplacetothesenewercreations：byaboutmidnightIhadaddedthirtyfreshpagestomyLIFEANDADVENTURESOFJOSEPHSELL。
　　Thethirddayarose-itwasdarkanddrearyoutofdoors，andI
　　passeditdrearilyenoughwithin；mybrainappearedtohavelostmuchofitsformerglow，andmypenmuchofitspower；I，however，toiledon，butatmidnighthadonlyaddedsevenpagestomyhistoryofJosephSell。
　　Onthefourthdaythesunshonebrightly-Iarose，and，havingbreakfastedasusual，Ifelltowork。Mybrainwasthisdaywonderfullyprolific，andmypenneverbeforeorsinceglidedsorapidlyoverthepaper；towardsnightIbegantofeelstrangelyaboutthebackpartofmyhead，andmywholesystemwasextraordinarilyaffected。Ilikewiseoccasionallysawdouble-atempternowseemedtobeatworkwithinme。
　　’Youhadbetterleaveoffnowforashortspace，’saidthetempter，’andgooutanddrinkapintofbeer；youhavestilloneshillingleft-ifyougoonatthisrate，youwillgomad-gooutandspendsixpence，youcanaffordit，morethanhalfyourworkisdone。’Iwasabouttoobeythesuggestionofthetempter，whentheideastruckmethat，ifIdidnotcompletetheworkwhilstthefitwasonme，Ishouldnevercompleteit；soIheldon。IamalmostafraidtostatehowmanypagesIwrotethatdayofthelifeofJosephSell。
　　FromthistimeIproceededinasomewhatmoreleisurelymanner；
　　but，asIdrewnearerandnearertothecompletionofmytask，dreadfulfearsanddespondenciescameoverme-Itwillbetoolate，thoughtI；bythetimeIhavefinishedthework，thebooksellerwillhavebeensuppliedwithataleoranovel。Isitprobablethat，inatownlikethis，wheretalentissoabundant-
　　hungrytalenttoo-abooksellercanadvertiseforataleoranovel，withoutbeingsuppliedwithhalfadozenintwenty-fourhours？Imayaswellflingdownmypen-Iamwritingtonopurpose。Andthesethoughtscameovermymindsooften，thatatlast，inutterdespair，Iflungdownthepen。Whereuponthetempterwithinmesaid-’And，nowyouhaveflungdownthepen，youmayaswellflingyourselfoutofthewindow；whatremainsforyoutodo？’Why，totakeitupagain，thoughtItomyself，forIdidnotlikethelattersuggestionatall-andthenforthwithI
　　resumedthepen，andwrotewithgreatervigourthanbefore，fromaboutsixo’clockintheeveninguntilIcouldhardlysee，whenI
　　restedforawhile，whenthetempterwithinmeagainsaid，orappearedtosay-’Allyouhavebeenwritingisstuff，itwillneverdo-adrug-ameredrug’；andmethoughttheselastwordswereutteredinthegrufftonesofthebigpublisher。’Athingmerelytobesneezedat，’avoicelikethatofTaggartadded；andthenIseemedtohearasternutation，-asIprobablydid，for，recoveringfromakindofswoon，Ifoundmyselfshiveringwithcold。ThenextdayIbroughtmyworktoaconclusion。
　　Butthetaskofrevisionstillremained；foranhourortwoI
　　shrankfromit，andremainedgazingstupidlyatthepileofpaperwhichIhadwrittenover。Iwasallbutexhausted，andIdreaded，oninspectingthesheets，tofindthemfullofabsurditieswhichI
　　hadpaidnoregardtointhefurorofcomposition。Butthetask，howevertryingtomynerves，mustbegotover；atlast，inakindofdesperation，Ientereduponit。Itwasfarfromaneasyone；
　　therewere，however，fewererrorsandabsurditiesthanIhadanticipated。Abouttwelveo’clockatnightIhadgotoverthetaskofrevision。’To-morrowforthebookseller，’saidI，asmyheadsankonthepillow。’Ohme!’
　　CHAPTERLVII
　　Nervouslook-Thebookseller’swife-Thelaststake-Terms-Godforbid!-Willyoucometotea？-Alightheart。
　　ONarrivingatthebookseller’sshop，Icastanervouslookatthewindow，forthepurposeofobservingwhetherthepaperhadbeenremovedornot。Tomygreatdelightthepaperwasinitsplace；
　　withabeatingheartIentered，therewasnobodyintheshop；asI
　　stoodatthecounter，however，deliberatingwhetherornotIshouldcallout，thedoorofwhatseemedtobeaback-parlouropened，andoutcameawell-dressedlady-likefemale，ofaboutthirty，withagood-lookingandintelligentcountenance。’Whatisyourbusiness，youngman？’saidshetome，afterIhadmadeherapolitebow。’I
　　wishtospeaktothegentlemanofthehouse，’saidI。’Myhusbandisnotwithinatpresent，’shereplied；’whatisyourbusiness？’
　　’Ihavemerelybroughtsomethingtoshowhim，’saidI，’butIwillcallagain。’’Ifyouaretheyounggentlemanwhohasbeenherebefore，’saidthelady，’withpoemsandballads，as，indeed，Iknowyouare，’sheadded，smiling，’forIhaveseenyouthroughtheglassdoor，Iamafraiditwillbeuseless；thatis，’sheaddedwithanothersmile，’ifyoubringusnothingelse。’’Ihavenotbroughtyoupoemsandballadsnow，’saidI，’butsomethingwidelydifferent；Isawyouradvertisementforataleoranovel，andhavewrittensomethingwhichIthinkwillsuit；andhereitis，’I
　　added，showingtherollofpaperwhichIheldinmyhand。’Well，’
　　saidthebookseller’swife，’youmayleaveit，thoughIcannotpromiseyoumuchchanceofitsbeingaccepted。Myhusbandhasalreadyhadseveralofferedtohim；however，youmayleaveit；giveitme。Areyouafraidtointrustittome？’shedemandedsomewhathastily，observingthatIhesitated。’Excuseme，’saidI，’butitisallIhavetodependuponintheworld；Iamchieflyapprehensivethatitwillnotberead。’’OnthatpointIcanreassureyou，’saidthegoodlady，smiling，andtherewasnowsomethingsweetinhersmile。’Igiveyoumywordthatitshallberead；comeagainto-morrowmorningateleven，when，ifnotapproved，itshallbereturnedtoyou。’