第65章

Ireturnedtomylodging，andforthwithbetookmyselftobed，notwithstandingtheearlinessofthehour。Ifelttolerablytranquil；Ihadnowcastmylaststake，andwaspreparedtoabidebytheresult。Whateverthatresultmightbe，Icouldhavenothingtoreproachmyselfwith；Ihadstrainedalltheenergieswhichnaturehadgivenmeinordertorescuemyselffromthedifficultieswhichsurroundedme。Ipresentlysankintoasleep，whichenduredduringtheremainderoftheday，andthewholeofthesucceedingnight。Iawokeaboutnineonthemorrow，andspentmylastthreepenceonabreakfastsomewhatmoreluxuriousthantheimmediatelyprecedingones，foronepennyofthesumwasexpendedonthepurchaseofmilk。

AttheappointedhourIrepairedtothehouseofthebookseller；

thebooksellerwasinhisshop。’Ah，’saidhe，assoonasI

entered，’Iamgladtoseeyou。’Therewasanunwontedheartinessinthebookseller’stones，anunwontedbenignityinhisface。

’So，’saidhe，afterapause，’youhavetakenmyadvice，writtenabookofadventure；nothingliketakingtheadvice，youngman，ofyoursuperiorsinage。Well，Ithinkyourbookwilldo，andsodoesmywife，forwhosejudgmentIhaveagreatregard；aswellI

may，assheisthedaughterofafirst-ratenovelist，deceased。I

thinkIshallventureonsendingyourbooktothepress。’’But，’

saidI，’wehavenotyetagreeduponterms。’’Terms，terms，’saidthebookseller；’ahem!well，thereisnothinglikecomingtotermsatonce。Iwillprintthebook，andgiveyouhalftheprofitwhentheeditionissold。’’Thatwillnotdo，’saidI；’IintendshortlytoleaveLondon：Imusthavesomethingatonce。’’Ah，I

see，’saidthebookseller，’indistress；frequentlythecasewithauthors，especiallyyoungones。Well，Idon’tcareifIpurchaseitofyou，butyoumustbemoderate；thepublicareveryfastidious，andthespeculationmayprovealosingoneafterall。

Letmesee，willfive-hem-’hestopped。Ilookedthebooksellerintheface；therewassomethingpeculiarinit。

Suddenlyitappearedtomeasifthevoiceofhimofthethimblesoundedinmyear，’Nowisyourtime，askenough，neversuchanotherchanceofestablishingyourself；respectabletrade，peaandthimble。’’Well，’saidIatlast，’Ihavenoobjectiontotaketheofferwhichyouwereabouttomake，thoughIreallythinkfive-and-

twentyguineastobescarcelyenough，everythingconsidered。’

’Five-and-twentyguineas!’saidthebookseller；’areyou-whatwasIgoingtosay-Inevermeanttoofferhalfasmuch-Imeanaquarter；Iwasgoingtosayfiveguineas-Imeanpounds；Iwill，however，makeitupguineas。’’Thatwillnotdo，’saidI；’but，asIfindweshallnotdeal，returnmemymanuscript，thatImaycarryittosomeoneelse。’Thebooksellerlookedblank。’Dearme，’

saidhe，’Ishouldneverhavesupposedthatyouwouldhavemadeanyobjectiontosuchanoffer；Iamquitesurethatyouwouldhavebeengladtotakefivepoundsforeitherofthetwohugemanuscriptsofsongsandballadsthatyoubroughtmeonaformeroccasion。’’Well，’saidI，’ifyouwillengagetopublisheitherofthosetwomanuscripts，youshallhavethepresentoneforfivepounds。’’GodforbidthatIshouldmakeanysuchbargain!’saidthebookseller；’Iwouldpublishneitheronanyaccount；but，withrespecttothislastbook，Ihavereallyaninclinationtoprintit，bothforyoursakeandmine；supposewesaytenpounds。’’No，’

saidI，’tenpoundswillnotdo；prayrestorememymanuscript。’

’Stay，’saidthebookseller，’mywifeisinthenextroom，Iwillgoandconsulther。’Thereuponhewentintohisbackroom，whereI

heardhimconversingwithhiswifeinalowtone；inabouttenminuteshereturned。’Younggentleman，’saidhe，’perhapsyouwilltaketea