m; what's the use of the reality?'
And then I would pinch myself, and snuff the burdened smoky light. 'I
can't see, for the life of me, the use of all this; therefore why should
I think that it exists? If there was a chance, a probability, of all
this tending to anything, I might believe; but--' and then I would stare
and think, and after some time shake my head and return again to my
occupations for an hour or two; and then I would perhaps shake, and
shiver, and yawn, and look wistfully in the direction of my sleeping
apartment; and then, but not wistfully, at the papers and books before
me; and sometimes I would return to my papers and books; but oftener I
would arise, and, after another yawn and shiver, take my light, and
proceed to my sleeping chamber.

They say that light fare begets light dreams; my fare at that time was
light enough; but I had anything but light dreams, for at that period I
had all kind of strange and extravagant dreams, and amongst other things
I dreamt that the whole world had taken to dog-fighting; and that I,
myself, had taken to dog-fighting, and that in a vast circus I backed an
English bulldog against the bloodhound of the Pope of Rome.

CHAPTER XXXVII

My brother--Fits of crying--Mayor-elect--The committee--The Norman arch--A
word of Greek--Church and State--At my own expense--If you please.

One morning I arose somewhat later than usual, having been occupied
during the greater part of the night with my literary toil. On
descending from my chamber into the sitting-room I found a person seated
by the fire, whose glance was directed sideways to the table, on which
were the usual preparations for my morning's meal. Forthwith I gave a
cry, and sprang forward to embrace the person; for the person by the
fire, whose glance was directed to the table, was no one else than my
brother.

'And how are things going on at home?' said I to my brother, after we had
kissed and embraced. 'How is my mother, and how is the dog?'

'My mother, thank God, is tolerably well,' said my brother, 'but very
much given to fits of crying. As for the dog, he is not so well; but we
will talk more of these matters anon,' said my brother, again glancing at
the breakfast things: 'I am very hungry, as you may suppose, after having
travelled all night.'

Thereupon I exerted myself to the best of my ability to perform the
duties of hospitality, and I made my brother welcome--I may say more than
welcome; a