Pan

or clever head. We sit in a room, some men, some women, and I, and I seem to see what is passing within them, and what they think of me. I find something in every swift little change

e through every soul. For years past I have felt that I co

I not come because all my thoughts were drawing me that way? And how could I go again at once? We played whist and drank toddy after supp

r north. They were splendid things, with a heavy leaden base, and he lit them himself eve

ait of her in one of the other rooms-a distinguished looking woman with a lace cap and a winsome smile. In the same room, also, there was a bookcase, and some old French books, no less, that migh

at whist. They played slowly and doubtfully, counted carefully, and

, and felt asham

e upset my g

out laughing

e can se

er. They gave me a towel to wipe myself with, and w

ff the game, saying that his assistants must go to bed; then he leaned back on the sofa and began talking about putting up a sign in front of his place. He ask

d barrels' in heavy black letters-that ought to look as nice

We sat on. We talked of the railway that had been finished last year, and of

us

ight see me in the daytime and say I was a young man, but when the evening comes along, and I'm all alone, I feel

ge a little

es

I could read

e in my turn. He looked round and walked towards me in his long, pointed shoes, stuck both thumbs in his waistcoat pockets, waved

, and blew out the lamps. "Yes, yes, I fe

ent

oad towards the bla

-it's the

nd by the quay is

ight, and could not understand why he insisted. At last he suggested that we

was soon lost to

a good five minutes ahead. But when I got to the h

always go this way-

ppear to have been running. He did not stay now, but said goo

me judge of distance, and I've walked both those ways several times. M

he disappeared i

ay, and I was not so sure now that he had not been running before. I walked very slowly now, and watched him caref

ould tell by the look o