第24部分(第2/7 頁)

coal；　and　with　wicked　wastefulness。　I　am　sorry　for　it；　but　I　cannot　on　that　account　make　cheerless　perhaps　the　last　winter　of　my　life。　There　may　be　waste　on　domestic　hearths；　but　the　wickedness　is　elsewhere……too　blatant　to　call　for　indication。　Use　mon　sense；　by　all　means；　in　the　construction　of　grates；　that　more　than　half　the　heat　of　the　kindly　coal　should　be　blown　up　the　chimney　is　desired　by　no　one；　but　hold　by　the　open　fire　as　you　hold　by　whatever　else　is　best　in　England。　Because；　in　the　course　of　nature；　it　will　be　some　day　a　thing　of　the　past　（like　most　other　things　that　are　worth　living　for）；　is　that　a　reason　why　it　should　not　be　enjoyed　as　long　as　possible？　Human　beings　may　ere　long　take　their　nourishment　in　the　form　of　pills；　the　prevision　of　that　happy　economy　causes　me　no　reproach　when　I　sit　down　to　a　joint　of　meat。

See　how　friendly　together　are　the　fire　and　the　shaded　lamp；　both　have　their　part　alike　in　the　illumining　and　warming　of　the　room。　As　the　fire　purrs　and　softly　crackles；　so　does　my　lamp　at　intervals　utter　a　little　gurgling　sound　when　the　oil　flows　to　the　wick；　and　custom　has　made　this　a　pleasure　to　me。　Another　sound；　blending　with　both；　is　the　gentle　ticking　of　the　clock。　I　could　not　endure　one　of　those　bustling　little　clocks　which　tick　like　a　fever　pulse；　and　are　only　fit　for　a　stockbroker's　office；　mine　hums　very　slowly；　as　though　it　savoured　the　minutes　no　less　than　I　do；　and　when　it　strikes；　the　little　voice　is　silver…sweet；　telling　me　without　sadness　that　another　hour　of　life　is　reckoned；　another　of　the　priceless　hours　…

〃Quae　nobis　pereunt　et　imputantur。〃

After　extinguishing　the　lamp；　and　when　I　have　reached　the　door；　I　always　turn　to　look　back；　my　room　is　so　cosily　alluring　in　the　light　of　the　last　gleeds；　that　I　do　not　e