第12部分(第4/7 頁)

　the　greater　part　of　a　twelvemonth……during　which　I　was　regularly　up　at　half…past　five　for　a　special　reason。　I　had　undertaken　to　〃coach〃　a　man　for　the　London　matriculation；　he　was　in　business；　and　the　only　time　he　could　conveniently　give　to　his　studies　was　before　breakfast。　I；　just　then；　had　my　lodgings　near　Hampstead　Road；　my　pupil　lived　at　Knightsbridge；　I　engaged　to　be　with　him　every　morning　at　half…past　six；　and　the　walk；　at　a　brisk　pace；　took　me　just　about　an　hour。　At　that　time　I　saw　no　severity　in　the　arrangement；　and　I　was　delighted　to　earn　the　modest　fee　which　enabled　me　to　write　all　day　long　without　fear　of　hunger；　but　one　inconvenience　attached　to　it。　I　had　no　watch；　and　my　only　means　of　knowing　the　time　was　to　hear　the　striking　of　a　clock　in　the　neighbourhood。　As　a　rule；　I　awoke　just　when　I　should　have　done；　the　clock　struck　five；　and　up　I　sprang。　But　occasionally……and　this　when　the　mornings　had　grown　dark……my　punctual　habit　failed　me；　I　would　hear　the　clock　chime　some　fraction　of　the　hour；　and　could　not　know　whether　I　had　awoke　too　soon　or　slept　too　long。　The　horror　of　unpunctuality；　which　has　always　been　a　craze　with　me；　made　it　impossible　to　lie　waiting；　more　than　once　I　dressed　and　went　out　into　the　street　to　discover　as　best　I　could　what　time　it　was；　and　one　such　expedition；　I　well　remember；　took　place　between　two　and　three　o'clock　on　a　morning　of　foggy　rain。

It　happened　now　and　then　that；　on　reaching　the　house　at　Knightsbridge；　I　was　informed　that　Mr。……felt　too　tired　to　rise。　This　concerned　me　little；　for　it　meant　no　deduction　of　fee；　I　had　the　two　hours'　walk；　and　was　all　the　better　for　it。　Then　the　appetite　with　which　I　sat　down　to　breakfast；　whether　I　had　done　my　coaching　or　not！　Bread　and　butter　and　coffee……such　coffee！……made　the　meal；　and　I　a