第60章

presentlyafeelingaroseinmymind-afeelingofself-reproach。

WhomhadItoblamebutmyselfforthedepartureoftheArmenian？

WouldhehaveeverthoughtofattackingthePersianshadInotputtheideaintohishead？hehadtoldmeinhisepistlethathewasindebtedtomefortheidea。Butforthat，hemightatthepresentmomenthavebeeninLondon，increasinghisfortunebyhisusualmethods，andImightbecommencingunderhisauspicesthetranslationoftheHaikEsop，withthepromise，nodoubt，ofaconsiderableremunerationformytrouble；orImightbetakingaseatoppositetheMoldavianclerk，andimbibingthefirstrudimentsofdoingbusinessaftertheArmenianfashion，withthecomfortablehopeofrealising，inashorttime，afortuneofthreeorfourhundredthousandpounds；buttheArmenianwasnowgone，andfarewelltothefinehopesIhadfoundeduponhimthedaybefore。

WhatwasItodo？Ilookedwildlyaround，tillmyeyesrestedontheMoldavianclerk，whowaswritingawayinhisledgerwithparticularvehemence。Notknowingwellwhattodoortosay，I

thoughtImightaswellasktheMoldavianclerkwhentheArmenianhaddeparted，andwhenhethoughtthathewouldreturn。Itistrueitmatteredlittletomewhenhedeparted，seeingthathewasgone，anditwasevidentthathewouldnotbebacksoon；butIknewnotwhattodo，andinpurehelplessnessthoughtImightaswellask；

soIwentuptotheMoldavianclerk，andaskedhimwhentheArmenianhaddeparted，andwhetherhehadbeengonetwodaysorthree。WhereupontheMoldavianclerk，lookingupfromhisledger，madecertainsigns，whichIcouldbynomeansunderstand。Istoodastonished，but，presentlyrecoveringmyself，inquiredwhenheconsidereditprobablethatthemasterwouldreturn，andwhetherhethoughtitwouldbetwomonthsor-mytonguefaltered-twoyears；

whereupontheMoldavianclerkmademoresignsthanbefore，andyetmoreunintelligible；asIpersisted，however，heflungdownhispen，and，puttinghisthumbintohismouth，moveditrapidly，causingthenailtosoundagainstthelowerjaw；whereuponIsawthathewasdumb，andhurriedaway，forIhadalwaysentertainedahorrorofdumbpeople，havingonceheardmyanothersay，whenIwasachild，thatdumbpeoplewerehalfdemoniacs，orlittlebetter。

CHAPTERLII

Kindofstupor-PeaceofGod-Divinehand-Farewell，child-Thefair-Massiveedifice-Batteredtars-Lost!lost!-Good-day，gentlemen。

LEAVINGthehouseoftheArmenian，Istrolledaboutforsometime；

almostmechanicallymyfeetconductedmetoLondonBridge，totheboothinwhichstoodthestalloftheoldapple-woman；thesoundofhervoicearousedme，asIsatinakindofstuporonthestonebenchbesideher；shewasinquiringwhatwasthematterwithme。

Atfirst，Ibelieve，Iansweredherveryincoherently，forI

observedalarmbeginningtodepictitselfuponhercountenance。

Rousingmyself，however，Iinmyturnputafewquestionstoheruponherpresentconditionandprospects。Theoldwoman’scountenanceclearedupinstantly；sheinformedmethatshehadneverbeenmorecomfortableinherlife；thathertrade，herHONEST

trade-layinganemphasisonthewordhonest-hadincreasedoflatewonderfully；thatherhealthwasbetter，and，aboveall，thatshefeltnofearandhorror’here，’layingherhandonherbreast。

Onmyaskingherwhethershestillheardvoicesinthenight，shetoldmethatshefrequentlydid；butthatthepresentweremildvoices，sweetvoices，encouragingvoices，verydifferentfromtheformerones；thatavoice，onlythenightprevious，hadcriedoutabout’thepeaceofGod，’inparticularlysweetaccents；asentencewhichsherememberedtohavereadinherearlyyouthintheprimer，butwhichshehadcleanforgottentillthevoicethenightbeforebroughtittoh