s entire radiation upon
the superficies of his back, "is to extract sunshine from cucumbers.
Think of living forty years, like Doctor Chocker, on the husks of the
digamma! I am obliged to him for his advice, but I sha'n't follow it.
Here are my books and prints; out of doors are people and Nature: I
propose to extract sunshine from all these cucumbers. The world was made
for us, and not we for the world. When I go to Miss Pix's this
evening,--and, by the way, it's 'most time to go,--I presume I shall
find one or two ripe cucumbers. Christmas, too, is a capital season for
this chemical experiment. I find people are more off their guard, and
offer special advantages for a curious observer and experimenter. Here
is my room; you see how I live; and when I have no visitor at tea, I
wind up my little musical box. You have no idea what a pretty picture I
make, sitting in my chair, the tea-table by me, the fire in the grate,
and the musical box for a cricket on the hearth"; and Mr. Le Clear
laughed good-humoredly.

Nicholas laughed, too. He had been smiling throughout the young
philosopher's discourse; but he was conscious of a little feeling of
uneasiness, as if he were being subjected to the cucumber-extract
process. He had intended at first to deliver the scheme of life which he
had adopted, but, on the whole, determined to postpone it. He rose to
go, and shook hands with Paul, who wished him all success in finding his
aunt; as for himself, he thought he got along better without aunts. The
two went down stairs to the door, causing very much the same dispersion
of the tribes as before; and Nicholas once more stood in Five-Sisters
Court, while Paul Le Clear returned to his charming bower, to be tickled
with the recollection of the adventure, and to prepare for Miss Pix's
party.

"On the whole, I think I won't disturb Doctor Chocker's mind by clearing
it up," said he to himself. "It might, too, bring on a repetition of the
fulmination against my paper which the young Judge seemed so to enjoy
relating. An innocent youth, certainly! I wonder if he expected me to
give him my autobiography."

Nicholas Judge confessed to himself a slight degree of despondency, as
he looked at the remaining two houses in the court, since Miss Pix's
would have to be counted out, and reflected that his chances of success
were dwindling. His recent conversation had left upon his mind, for some
reason which he hardly stopped now to explain, a disagree