know your
business, and I'll bear you in mind." Thereupon I left him. He looked
utterly amazed at me, stood and looked at me, with gaping mouth, still
holding his watch in his hand.

When I got in front of the Royal Hotel I turned and looked back. He was
still standing in the same position, following me with his eyes.

Ha, ha! That is the way to treat brutes! With the most refined
effrontery! That impresses the brutes--puts the fear of God into
them.... I was peculiarly satisfied with myself, and began to sing a
little strain. Every nerve was tense with excitement. Without feeling
any more pain, without even being conscious of discomfort of any kind,
I walked, light as a feather, across the whole market, turned round at
the stalls, and came to a halt--sat down on a bench near Our Saviour's
Church. Might it not just as well be a matter of indifference whether I
returned the half-sovereign or not? When once I received it, it was
mine; and there was evidently no want where it came from. Besides, I
was obliged to take it when it was sent expressly to me; there could be
no object in letting the messenger keep it. It wouldn't do, either, to
send it back--a whole half-sovereign that had been sent to me. So there
was positively no help for it.

I tried to watch the bustle about me in the market, and distract myself
with indifferent things, but I did not succeed; the half-sovereign
still busied my thoughts. At last I clenched my fists and got angry. It
would hurt her if I were to send it back. Why, then, should I do so?
Always ready to consider myself too good for everything--to toss my
head and say, No, thanks! I saw now what it led to. I was out in the
street again. Even when I had the opportunity I couldn't keep my good
warm lodging. No; I must needs be proud, jump up at the first word, and
show I wasn't the man to stand trifling, chuck half-sovereigns right
and left, and go my way.... I took myself sharply to task for having
left my lodging and brought myself into the most distressful
circumstances.

As for the rest, I consigned the whole affair to the keeping of the
yellowest of devils. I hadn't begged for the half-sovereign, and I had
barely had it in my hand, but gave it away at once--paid it away to
utterly strange people whom I would never see again. That was the sort
of man I was; I always paid out to the last doit whatever I owed. If I
knew Ylajali aright, neither did she regret that she had sent me the
money, th