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overwhelmed, sit silent; on the dark stairs outside my door I hear at

intervals the trao back

to the very start of it all: Last night I had an early dinner at Simpson's, in the Strand--so early

that I was practically alone in the restaurant The letter I was about

to write to you was upper quickly dined, I

hurried back to my rooms I remember clearly that, as I stood in the

street before our house fus struck the hour of seven The chihfare like a loud and friendly greeting

Gaining my study, I sat down at once to write Overabout--attiring hi, with an amused smile, how horrified he would be

if he knew that the crude American below him had dined at the impossible

hour of six, when suddenly I heard, in that roo in a harsh deter

voice, cal for soh I could not distinguish a

word of it, I had the unco that there was a controversy

on; and I re annoyed that any one should thus interfere

with arded as most important,

you may be sure