EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 127 



childlike slumber against which I had been so 

 vigorously contending while I lay abed. I began 

 to wonder whether my daily sitting down in my 

 arm-chair in order to think profoundly would 

 always and naturally induce an hour or two of 

 refreshing sleep. " If so," says the tempter, 

 " why the deuce may you not just as well, or 

 indeed a good deal better, take it out in bed ? " 



I am but a young beginner in this retirement 

 business ; there is, however, one obvious thing 

 that has to be done. I must take my daily 

 constitutional ; every retired old boy does that ; 

 they swarm about here ; one meets them every- 

 where; in all stages of decline towards the 

 setting sun ; now a decrepit old fellow toddling 

 wearily along, with a little dog at his heels ; now 

 a younger example, like the " Justice "- 



" In fair round belly with good capon lined, 

 Full of wise saws and modern instances." 



I met him yesterday ; he buttonholed me. 

 He would talk politics, said it was his favourite 

 subject. He told me that the country was 

 going rapidly to the dogs, and that the present 

 Prime Minister dared not wag his own tail 

 his followers did that for him. With that 

 modern instance of a "wise saw/' I managed 



