Page 136 - The snake's pass

124 THE snake's pass. ——
" Nor you to go to Shleenanaher," said I, as we shook
hands and parted for the night.
It was quite two hours after this when I began to
undress for bed. I suppose the whole truth, however
foolish, must be told, but those two hours were mainly
spent in trying to compose some suitable verses to my
unknown. I had consumed a vast amount of paper
consumed literally, for what lover was ever yet content
to trust his unsuccessful poetic efforts to the waste
basket?—and my grate was thickly strewn with filmy
ashes. Hitherto the Muse had persistently and suc-
cessfully evaded me. She did not even grant me a
feather from her wing, and my ' woeful ballad made to
my mistress' eyebrow ' was amongst the things that
were not. There was a gentle tap at the door. I opened
it, and saw Dick with his coat off. He came in.
" I thought I would look in, Art, as I saw the light
under your door, and knew that you had not gone to
bed. I only wanted to tell you this. You don't know
what a relief it is to me to be able to speak of it to
any living soul—how maddening it is to me to work
for that scoundrel Murdoch. You can understand now
why I flared up at him so suddenly ere yesterday. I
have a strong conviction on me that his service is
devil's service as far as my happiness is concerned
and that I shall pay some terrible penalty for it."
"Nonsense, old fellow," said I, "Norah only wants to
see you to know what a fine fellow you are. You won't