l melting away from me at
an unnecessary and alarmingly rapid pace. Anything equivalent to the
comparative refinement, quietness, cleanliness, and spacious outlook
of my North Shore quarters was evidently quite out of the question;
and would have been, as a matter of fact, even at double their cost in
Sydney.

Late that afternoon a cab conveyed me with my baggage to No. 27 Mellor
Street, a small thoroughfare leading out of the Seven Sisters Road.
Here I had secured a barely furnished top-floor room, with a tiny
oil-stove in it, for 4s. 6d. per week. I paid a week's rent in advance,
and, having deposited my bags there, I sallied forth into the Seven
Sisters Road, with the room key in my pocket, to make domestic
purchases. Billy cans were not available, but I bought a tin kettle
for my oil-stove, some tea, a very little simple crockery and cutlery,
some wholemeal brown bread (which I had heard was the most nutritious
variety), butter, and cheese. Also some lamp oil, for the simple
furniture of my room included, in addition to its oil-stove, a blue
china lamp with pink and silver flowers upon its sides. Most of these
things I ordered in one shop, and then, carrying one or two other
purchases, hurried back to my room to be ready for the shop-boy who
was to deliver the remainder.

Over the little meal that I presently prepared, with the aid of the
oil-stove, my spirits, which had fallen steadily during the hunt for a
room, brightened considerably. Pipe in mouth I made some alterations
in the disposition of my furniture, placing the little table nearer to
the window, and shifting the bed to give me a glimpse of sky when I
should be occupying it. The oil-stove made a regrettable stench I
found, and the lamp appeared to suffer from some nervous affection
which made its flame jump spasmodically at intervals. The mattress on
my bed was extraordinarily diversified in contour by little mountain
ranges, kopjes which could not be induced to amalgamate with its
general plan. Also, I was not so much alone in my sanctum as I had
hoped to be. There were other forms of life, whose company I do not
think I ever entirely evaded during my whole period as a lodger of the
poorest grade in London.

But for the time these trifles did not greatly trouble me. Drunken
brawls which occurred later in the evening, immediately under my
window, were a nuisance. But it was all new; my health of mind and
body was sound and unstrained; and I presently