第40章

Taggartdidnotappeartobeinanyparticularhaste。Firstofall，hetookapinchofsnuff，then，risingfromhischair，slowlyanddeliberatelydrewhiswig，forheworeawigofabrowncolour，rathermoreoverhisforeheadthanithadpreviouslybeen，buttonedhiscoat，and，takinghishat，andanumbrellawhichstoodinacorner，mademealowbow，andquittedtheroom。

’Well，sir，wherewerewe？Oh，Iremember，weweretalkingaboutmerit。Sir，Ialwayswishtoencouragemerit，especiallywhenitcomessohighlyrecommendedasinthepresentinstance。Sir，mygoodfriendandcorrespondentspeaksofyouinthehighestterms。

Sir，Ihonourmygoodfriend，andhavethehighestrespectforhisopinioninallmattersconnectedwithliterature-rathereccentricthough。Sir，mygoodfriendhasdonemyperiodicalmoregoodandmoreharmthanalltherestofmycorrespondents。Sir，Ishallneverforgetthesensationcausedbytheappearanceofhisarticleaboutacertainpersonagewhomheproved-andIthinksatisfactorily-tohavebeenalegionarysoldier-ratherstartling，wasitnot？TheS-oftheworldacommonsoldier，inamarchingregiment-original，butstartling；sir，Ihonourmygoodfriend。’

’Soyouhaverenouncedpublishing，sir，’saidI，’withtheexceptionoftheMagazine？’

’Why，yes；exceptnowandthen，undertherose；theoldcoachman，youknow，likestohearthewhip。Indeed，atthepresentmoment，I

amthinkingofstartingaReviewonanentirelynewandoriginalprinciple；anditjuststruckmethatyoumightbeofhighutilityintheundertaking-whatdoyouthinkofthematter？’

’Ishouldbehappy，sir，torenderyouanyassistance，butIamafraidtheemploymentyouproposerequiresotherqualificationsthanIpossess；however，Icanmaketheessay。MychiefintentionincomingtoLondonwastolaybeforetheworldwhatIhadprepared；andIhadhopedbyyourassistance-’

’Ah!Isee，ambition!Ambitionisaveryprettything；but，sir，wemustwalkbeforewerun，accordingtotheoldsaying-whatisthatyouhavegotunderyourarm？’

’OneoftheworkstowhichIwasalluding；theone，indeed，whichI

ammostanxioustolaybeforetheworld，asIhopetoderivefromitbothprofitandreputation。’

’Indeed!whatdoyoucallit？’

’AncientsongsofDenmark，heroicandromantic，translatedbymyself；withnotesphilological，critical，andhistorical。’

’Then，sir，Iassureyouthatyourtimeandlabourhavebeenentirelyflungaway；nobodywouldreadyourballads，ifyouweretogivethemtotheworldto-morrow。’

’Iamsure，sir，thatyouwouldsayotherwiseifyouwouldpermitmetoreadonetoyou’；and，withoutwaitingfortheanswerofthebigman，norindeedsomuchaslookingathim，toseewhetherhewasinclinedornottohearme，Iundidmymanuscript，and，withavoicetremblingwitheagerness，Ireadtothefollowingeffect：-

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