bad.

So the hostess prattled on, only too pleased to impart the news of her
little world to a newcomer from the greater one, while all the time
fantastic visions rose before him. He pictured old hide-bound trunks
that had been left behind by travellers who had never returned, trunks
which, opened, would prove to contain priceless black-letter books:
boxes, stored in attics and cellars and in concealed presses, which would
contain ancient apparel with copies of the 'Pastissier' in the pockets:
small travelling bags, tendered by needy scholars in lieu of payment,
which he would find stuffed with rare Elzeviers: rusty iron-bound chests
enclosing missals, books of hours and antiphonals: in short to such
heights did his imagination soar that he resolved to sojourn there till
he had explored the old house from attic to cellar.

Then a rat squealed again, near at hand. Oh yes, they were everywhere,
ever since Monsieur Gautier rented the left wing of the house to store
grain in; and they were _so_ tame and _so_ large that Madame was obliged
to keep miou-miou in her bedroom every night.

That decided our book-hunter. Enthusiasm can be carried too far. Even the
possibilities of a rich trover would not compensate for having rats
running about one's bed at night. Moreover the vermin would surely have
gnawed, if not devoured, any copies of the 'Pastissier' that might have
been lying about, even if these were innocent of bacon-grease stains. And
so consoling himself, he took another 'petit verre' and departed, casting
more than one regretful glance backwards at the old Lion d'Or.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Apparently there is only one copy of Upton's work in the United
States at present--that which was formerly in the Huth Library. It was
purchased at Sotheby's in July, 1920, by a well-known New York dealer,
Mr. G. D. Smith, for ten guineas, the writer of these lines being the
underbidder. Mr. Smith had sent "an unlimited commission" to secure it.
An announcement in _The Bookman's Journal_ (1920) asking for information
respecting other copies elicited but one response.

Since writing the above, the author has secured the splendid presentation
copy given by Upton's editor (Bysshe) to the great Parliamentary leader,
Sir Humphrey Mackworth, of Neath, in Glamorganshire. It had remained at
Glen Uske until the dispersal of the Mackworth Library in 1920.

[2] No. 16096. See page 164.

[3] Possibly the title was _Nigromanser_, from _niger_, b