fry a bit of bacon for him.
In this ignominious way he passed New Year's Day,--at least so much
of it as was left to him after the occurrences which have been
described.

But on the next morning the great weight of his troubles fell upon
him heavily. In his very heart of hearts he was afraid of Aeolus. In
spite of his "brummagem" courage the wrath of the violent god was
tremendous to him. He knew what it was to stand with his hand on the
lock of the door and tremble before he dared to enter the room. There
was something in the frown of the god which was terrible to him.
There was something worse in the god's smile. He remembered how he
had once been unable to move himself out of the room when the god had
told him that he need not remain at the office, but might go home and
amuse himself just as he pleased. Nothing crushes a young man so much
as an assurance that his presence can be dispensed with without loss
to any one. Though Crocker had often felt the mercies of Aeolus, and
had told himself again and again that the god never did in truth lift
up his hand for final irrevocable punishment, still he trembled as he
anticipated the dread encounter.

When the morning came, and while he was yet in his bed, he struggled
to bethink himself of some strategy by which he might evade the evil
hour. Could he have been sent for suddenly into Cumberland? But in
this case he would of course have telegraphed to the Post Office on
the preceding day. Could he have been taken ill with a fit,--so as
to make his absence absolutely necessary, say for an entire week?
He well knew that they had a doctor at the Post Office, a crafty,
far-seeing, obdurate man, who would be with him at once and would
show him no mercy. He had tried these schemes all round, and had
found that there were none left with which Aeolus was not better
acquainted than was he himself. There was nothing for it but to go
and bear the brunt.

Exactly at ten o'clock he entered the room, hung his hat up on the
accustomed peg, and took his seat on the accustomed chair before any
one spoke a word to him. Roden on the opposite seat took no notice of
him. "Bedad, he's here anyhow this morning," whispered Geraghty to
Bobbin, very audibly. "Mr. Crocker," said Mr. Jerningham, "you were
absent throughout the entire day yesterday. Have you any account
to give of yourself?" There was certainly falsehood implied in
this question, as Mr. Jerningham knew very well what had become of