ng root,' said Godwin, rather contemptuously.
'I half envy you. There must be a distinct pleasure in believing that
any intellectual influence will exalt the English democracy.'

'I'm not sure that I do believe it, but I enjoy the experiment. The
chief pleasure, I suppose, is in fighting Runcorn and Kenyon.'

'They are too strong for you, Earwaker. They have the spirit of the age
to back them up.'

The journalist became silent; he smiled, but the harassment of conflict
marked his features.

'I hear nothing about "The New Sophistry",' he remarked, when Godwin
had begun to examine some books that lay on the table. 'Dolby has the
trick of keeping manuscripts a long time. Everything that seems at the
first glance tolerable, he sends to the printer, then muses over it at
his leisure. Probably your paper is in type.'

'I don't care a rap whether it is or not. What do you think of this
book of Oldwinkle's?'

He was holding a volume of humorous stories, which had greatly taken
the fancy of the public.

'It's uncommonly good,' replied the journalist, laughing. 'I had a
prejudice against the fellow, but he has overcome me. It's more than
good farce--something like really strong humour here and there.'

'I quite believe it,' said Peak, 'yet I couldn't read a page. Whatever
the mob enjoys is at once spoilt for me, however good I should
otherwise think it. I am sick of seeing and hearing the man's name.'

Earwaker shook his head in deprecation.

'Narrow, my boy. One must be able to judge and enjoy impartially.'

'I know it, but I shall never improve. This book seems to me to have a
bad smell; it looks mauled with dirty fingers. I despise Oldwinkle for
his popularity. To make them laugh, and to laugh _with_ them--pah!'

They debated this point for some time, Peak growing more violent,
though his friend preserved a smiling equanimity. A tirade of virulent
contempt, in which Godwin exhibited all his powers of savage eloquence,
was broken by a visitor's summons at the door.

'Here's Malkin,' said the journalist; 'you'll see each other at last.'

Peak could not at once command himself to the look and tone desirable
in meeting a stranger; leaning against the mantelpiece, he gazed with a
scowl of curiosity at the man who presented himself, and when he shook
hands, it was in silence. But Malkin made speech from the others
unnecessary for several minutes. With animated voice and gesture, he
poured forth apologies for his fail