( I30 ) 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Fortunately I don't live by the sea. I say 

 fortunately, because I look upon the sea as a 

 swindler, for it robs one of just half one's 

 little world and upsets all calculations by 

 forcing one to live in a mean semicircle. I 

 actually know a rat-catcher who is stupid 

 enough to live in a village on the east coast, 

 and half his time he and his dogs are at 

 home in idleness and are half starved, 

 because the ever-restless tiresome sea rolls 

 about and disports itself over all that is east 

 of the village, so the poor man can only go 

 rat-catching in one direction. Now and 

 then I go to the sea side, but when I go 

 there it is on business — not in my Sunday 

 clothes and with a " tripper's " return ticket, 



