'A TRAVELLER'S TALES' 181 



swiftness and cunning have failed you at the 

 last. 



That is the only excuse which I have to offer for 

 not being able to describe to you at first-hand the 

 underground life which some rats lead so gaily. 

 There are many ' might have beens ' in my life, 

 upon which I look back with more or less regret, 

 but this is not one of them. At any rate, as far as 

 I know, I have up to the present time kept clear 

 of what a great writer calls the sadder words, ' It 

 is, but hadn't ought to be.' 



Even my Bohemian friend had failed to find his 

 life in the slums quite sufficient for his enjoyment, 

 as his presence on the banks of my stream testified, 

 and I tried to score a point off him by calling his 

 attention to the fact ; but he was quite ready with 

 an explanation, and, as his explanation took several 

 days — for we were frequently interrupted by one 

 thing or another— I may, perhaps, be allow^ed to 

 give you a shortened account of his further adven- 

 tures in his own words, as nearly as I can repro- 

 duce them. You will understand that I am not 

 trying to persuade you that I am the hero of what 

 follows, if I do not put in all the ' he saids.' It is 

 such a nuisance to be always writing ' so he told 

 me ' and ' I replied.' 



