uldhavesacrificedmyowncomfortandnothavegainedtheirpatronageinreturn.”
“Verylikely—soyoucalculatedyourwisestplanwastofollowyourowndevicesatonce?”
“Exactly.Imustfollowmyowndevices—Imust,tillthedayofmydeathbecauseIcanneithercomprehend,adopt,norworkoutthoseofotherpeople.”
Hunsdenyawned.“Well,”saidhe,“inallthis,Iseebutonethingclearly-thatis,thatthewholeaffairisnobusinessofmine.”Hestretchedhimselfandagainyawned.“Iwonderwhattimeitis,”hewenton:“Ihaveanappointmentforseveno’clock.”
“Threequarterspastsixbymywatch.”
“Well,thenI’llgo.”Hegotup.“You’llnotmeddlewithtradeagain?”saidhe,leaninghiselbowonthemantelpiece.
“NoIthinknot.”
“Youwouldbeafoolifyoudid.Probably,afterall,you’llthinkbetterofyouruncles’proposalandgointotheChurch.”
“AsingularregenerationmusttakeplaceinmywholeinnerandoutermanbeforeIdothat.Agoodclergymanisoneofthebestofmen.”
“Indeed!Doyouthinkso?”interruptedHunsden,scoffingly.
“Ido,andnomistake.ButIhavenotthepeculiarpointswhichgotomakeagoodclergymanandratherthanadoptaprofessionforwhichIhavenovocation,Iwouldendureextremitiesofhardshipfrompoverty.”
“You’reamightydifficultcustomertosuit.Youwon’tbeatradesmanoraparsonyoucan’tbealawyer,oradoctor,oragentleman,becauseyou’venomoney.I’drecommendyoutotravel.”
“What!withoutmoney?”
“Youmusttravelinsearchofmoney,man.YoucanspeakFrench—withavileEnglishaccent,nodoubt—still,youcanspeakit.GoontotheContinent,andseewhatwillturnupforyouthere.”
“GodknowsIshouldliketogo!”exclaimedIwithinvoluntaryardour.
“Go:whatthedeucehindersyou?YoumaygettoBrussels,forinstance,forfiveorsixpounds,ifyouknowhowtomanagewitheconomy.”
“NecessitywouldteachmeifIdidn’t.”
“Go,then,andletyourwitsmakeawayforyouwhenyougetthere.IknowBrusselsalmostaswellasIknowX——,andIamsureitwouldsuitsuchaoneasyoubetterthanLondon.”
“Butoccupation,Mr.Hunsden!ImustgowhereoccupationistobehadandhowcouldIgetrecommendation,orintroduction,oremploymentatBrussels?”
“Therespeakstheorganofcaution.Youhatetoadvanceas