prevent his putting it into execution, and all
night long he kept Blink awake by tramping up and down his bedroom and
planning the details of such a retirement as would meet his unfortunate
case. For at once he perceived that to retire from both his lives
without making the whole world know of it would be tantamount to
not retiring. "Only by a public act," he thought, "of so striking a
character that nobody can miss it can I bring the moral home to all
public and private men." And a hundred schemes swarmed like ants in his
brain. Nor was it till the cock crew that one adequate to this final
occasion occurred to him.

"It will want very careful handling," he thought, "for otherwise I shall
be prevented, and perhaps even arrested in the middle, which will be
both painful and ridiculous. So sublime, however, was his idea that he
shed many tears over it, and often paused in his tramping to regard the
unconscious Blink with streaming eyes. All the next day he went about
the house and heath taking a last look at objects which had been dear,
and at mealtimes ate and drank even less than usual, absorbed by
the pathos of his coming renunciation. He determined to make his
preparations for the final act during the night, when Mrs. Petty would
be prevented by Joe's snoring from hearing the necessary sounds; and at
supper he undertook the delicate and harrowing task of saying good-bye
to, his devoted housekeeper without letting her know that he, was doing
it.

"Mrs--Petty," he said, trifling with a morsel of cheese, "it is useless
to disguise, from you that I may be going a journey, and I feel that
I shall not be able to part from all the care you have, bestowed on me
without recording in words my heartfelt appreciation of your devotion. I
shall miss it, I shall miss it terribly, if, that is, I am permitted to
miss anything."

Mrs. Petty, whose mind instantly ran to his bed socks, answered: "Don't
you worry, sir; I won't forget them. But wherever are you going now?"

"Ah!" said Mr. Lavender subtly, "it is all in the air at present; but
now that the lime-trees are beginning to smell a certain restlessness is
upon me, and you may see some change in my proceedings. Whatever happens
to me, however, I commit my dear Blink to your care; feed her as if she
were myself, and love her as if she were Joe, for it is largely on food
and affection that dogs depend for happiness.

"Why, good gracious, sir," said Mrs. Petty, "you talk as if y