第74章

’Iunderstandyou，’saidI；’notwithstandingyourtroublesandanxietiesyoufindlifeverytolerable；hasyouroriginalityeverbeencalledinquestion？’

’Onthecontrary，everyonedeclaresthatoriginalityconstitutesthemostremarkablefeatureofmywritings；themanhassomefaults，theysay，butwantoforiginalityiscertainlynotoneofthem。Heisquitedifferentfromothers-acertainnewspaper，itistrue，the-Ithink，onceinsinuatedthatinacertainworkofmineIhadtakenahintortwofromthewritingsofacoupleofauthorswhichitmentioned；ithappened，however，thatIhadneverevenreadonesyllableofthewritingsofeither，andofoneofthemhadneverevenheardthename；somuchforthediscriminationofthe。Bythebye，whatarascallynewspaperthatis!’

’Averyrascallynewspaper，’saidI。

CHAPTERLXVII

Disturbedslumbers-Thebed-post-Twowizards-WhatcanIdo？-

Reallibrary-TheRev。Mr。Platitude-TolerationtoDissenters-

Paradox-SwordofSt。Peter-Enemytohumbug-Highprinciples-

Falseconcord-Thedamsel-Whatreligion？-Furtherconversation-Thatwouldneverdo!-Mayyouprosper。

DURINGthegreaterpartofthatnightmyslumbersweredisturbedbystrangedreams。Amongstotherthings，IfanciedthatIwasmyhost；myheadappearedtobeteemingwithwildthoughtsandimaginations，outofwhichIwasendeavouringtoframeabook。Andnowthebookwasfinishedandgiventotheworld，andtheworldshouted；andalleyeswereturneduponme，andIshrankfromtheeyesoftheworld。And，whenIgotintoretiredplaces，Itouchedvariousobjectsinordertobaffletheevilchance。Inshort，duringthewholenight，IwasactingoverthestorywhichIhadheardbeforeIwenttobed。

Atabouteighto’clockIawoke。Thestormhadlongsincepassedaway，andthemorningwasbrightandshining；mycouchwassosoftandluxuriousthatIfeltlothtoquitit，soIlaysometime，myeyeswanderingaboutthemagnificentroomtowhichfortunehadconductedmeinsosingularamanner；atlastIheavedasigh；I

wasthinkingofmyownhomelesscondition，andimaginingwhereI

shouldfindmyselfonthefollowingmorning。Unwilling，however，toindulgeinmelancholythoughts，Isprangoutofbedandproceededtodressmyself，and，whilstdressing，Ifeltanirresistibleinclinationtotouchthebed-post。

Ifinisheddressingandlefttheroom，feelingcompelled，however，asIleftit，totouchthelintelofthedoor。Isitpossible，thoughtI，thatfromwhatIhavelatelyheardthelong-forgotteninfluenceshouldhavepossessedmeagain？butIwillnotgivewaytoit；soIhurrieddownstairs，resistingasIwentacertaininclinationwhichIoccasionallyfelttotouchtherailofthebanister。Iwaspresentlyuponthegravelwalkbeforethehouse：

itwasindeedagloriousmorning。Istoodforsometimeobservingthegoldenfishdisportinginthewatersofthepond，andthenstrolledaboutamongstthenobletreesofthepark；thebeautyandfreshnessofthemorning-fortheairhadbeenconsiderablycooledbythelatestorm-soonenabledmetocastawaythegloomyideaswhichhadpreviouslytakenpossessionofmymind，and，afterastrollofabouthalfanhour，Ireturnedtowardsthehouseinhighspirits。ItistruethatonceIfeltverymuchinclinedtogoandtouchtheleavesofafloweryshrubwhichIsawatsomedistanc