I pass my
time. The first inscription which I translated was that on the teapot of
my beloved.'

'And how many other pieces of porcelain may you have at present in your
possession?'

'About fifteen hundred.'

'And how did you obtain them?' I demanded.

'Without much labour,' said the old man, 'in the neighbouring towns and
villages--chiefly at auctions--of which, about twenty years ago, there
were many in these parts.'

'And may I ask your reasons for confining your studies entirely to the
crockery literature of China, when you have all the rest at your
disposal?'

'The inscriptions enable me to pass my time,' said the old man; 'what
more would the whole literature of China do?'

'And from those inscriptions,' said I, 'what a book it is in your power
to make, whenever so disposed! "Translations from the crockery
literature of China." Such a book would be sure to take. Even glorious
John himself would not disdain to publish it.'

The old man smiled. 'I have no desire for literary distinction,' said
he; 'no ambition. My original wish was to pass my life in easy, quiet
obscurity--with her whom I loved. I was disappointed in my wish; she was
removed, who constituted my only felicity in this life: desolation came
to my heart, and misery to my head. To escape from the latter I had
recourse to Chinese. By degrees the misery left my head, but the
desolation of heart yet remains.'

'Be of good cheer,' said I. 'Through the instrumentality of this
affliction you have learnt Chinese, and, in so doing, learnt to practise
the duties of hospitality. Who but a man who could read Runes on a
teapot, would have received an unfortunate wayfarer as you have received
me?'

'Well,' said the old man, 'let us hope that all is for the best. I am by
nature indolent, and, but for this affliction, should, perhaps, have
hardly taken the trouble to do my duty to my fellow-creatures. I am
very, very indolent,' said he, slightly glancing towards the clock;
'therefore let us hope that all is for the best. But, oh! these trials,
they are very hard to bear.'

CHAPTER XXXV

THE LEAVE-TAKING--SPIRIT OF THE HEARTH--WHAT'S O'CLOCK

The next morning, having breakfasted with my old friend, I went into the
stable to make the necessary preparations for my departure; there, with
the assistance of a stable lad, I cleaned and caparisoned my horse, and
then, returning into the house, I made the old female attendant such a
pre