第49章

Lords，squires，andcockneysmaypassaway，butatimewillscarcelycomewhenChildeHaroldandthatodewillbeforgotten。

Hewasapoet，afterall，andhemusthaveknownit；arealpoet，equalto-to-whatadestiny!Rank，beauty，fashion，immortality，-hecouldnotbeunhappy；whatadifferenceinthefateofmen-IwishIcouldthinkhewasunhappy……

Iturnedaway。

’Greatpoet，sir，’saidthedapperman，turningawaytoo，’butunhappy-fateofgenius，sir；I，too，amfrequentlyunhappy。’

Hurryingdownastreettotheright，IencounteredFrancisArdry。

’Whatmeansthemultitudeyonder？’hedemanded。

’TheyarelookingafterthehearsewhichiscarryingtheremainsofByronupTottenhamRoad。’

’Ihaveseentheman，’saidmyfriend，asheturnedbackthewayhehadcome，’soIcandispensewithseeingthehearse-IsawthelivingmanatVenice-ah，agreatpoet。’

’Yes，’saidI，’agreatpoet，itmustbeso，everybodysaysso-

whatadestiny!Whatadifferenceinthefateofmen；but’tissaidhewasunhappy；youhaveseenhim，howdidhelook？’

’Oh，beautiful!’

’Butdidhelookhappy？’

’Why，Ican’tsayhelookedveryunhappy；Isawhimwithtwo……

veryfairladies；butwhatisittoyouwhetherthemanwasunhappyornot？Come，whereshallwego-toJoey’s？Hishugestbear-’

’Oh，Ihavehadenoughofbears，Ihavejustbeenworriedbyone。’

’Thepublisher？’

’Yes。’

’ThencometoJoey’s，threedogsaretobelaunchedathisbear：

astheypinhim，imaginehimtobethepublisher。’

’No，’saidI，’Iamgoodfornothing；IthinkIshallstrolltoLondonBridge。’

’That’stoofarforme-farewell。’

CHAPTERXL

LondonBridge-Whynot？-Everyhearthasitsbitters-Wickedboys-Givememybook-Suchafright-Honourbright。

SOIwenttoLondonBridge，andagaintookmystationonthespotbytheboothwhereIhadstoodontheformeroccasion。Thebooth，however，wasempty；neithertheapple-womannorherstallwastobeseen。Ilookedoverthebalustradeupontheriver；thetidewasnow，asbefore，rollingbeneaththearchwithfrightfulimpetuosity。AsIgazedupontheeddiesofthewhirlpool，I

thoughtwithinmyselfhowsoonhumanlifewouldbecomeextinctthere；aplunge，aconvulsiveflound