/ 





Chapter I 



AN APRIL DAY 



Y study has been a dull 

 place of late ; even the 

 open fire, which still lin- 

 gers on the hearth, has 

 failed to exorcise a cer- 

 tain gray and weary spirit 

 which has somehow taken possession of the 

 premises. As I was thinking this morning 

 about the best way of ejecting this unwel- 

 come inmate, it suddenly occurred to me 

 that for some time past my study has been 

 simply a workshop ; the fire has been lighted 

 early and burned late, the windows have 

 been closed to keep out all disturbing 

 sounds, and the pile of manuscript on the 

 table has steadily grown higher and higher. 

 " After all," I said to myself, " it is I that 

 ought to be ejected." Acting on this con- 

 clusion, and without waiting for the service 

 of process of formal dislodgment, I have let 

 the fire go out, opened the windows, locked 

 12 



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