Page 565 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

of death would one meet with widely-opened eyes, parted
lips, and brows bent as though to rally fast-flying courage?
Not a peaceful death surely. I brought my black coat to my
aid. ‘My dear lady, you must not think of such things. Death
is but a sleep, you know. Why anticipate a nightmare?’
She sighed, slowly awaking as though from some mo-
mentary trance. Checking herself on the verge of tears, she
rallied, turned the conversation, and finding an excuse for
going to the piano, dashed into a waltz. This unnatural gai-
ety ended, I fancy, in an hysterical fit. I heard her husband
afterwards recommending sal volatile. He is the sort of man
who would recommend sal volatile to the Pythoness if she
consulted him.
April 26th.—All has been arranged, and we start to-mor-
row. Mr. Pounce is in a condition of painful dignity. He
seems afraid to move lest motion should thaw his official ice.
Having found out that I am the ‘chaplain’, he has refrained
from familiarity. My self-love is wounded, but my patience
relieved. Query: Would not the majority of mankind rather
be bored by people in authority than not noticed by them?
James North declines to answer for his part. I have made my
farewells to my friends, and on looking back on the pleas-
ant hours I have spent, felt saddened. It is not likely that I
shall have many such pleasant hours. I feel like a vagabond
who, having been allowed to sit by a cheerful fireside for
a while, is turned out into the wet and windy streets, and
finds them colder than ever. What were the lines I wrote in
her album?
‘As some poor tavern-haunter drenched in wine With

For the Term of His Natural Life