第4部分(第4/7 頁)

d　along　the　alley　on　their　way　to　relieve　guard；　their　heavy　feet　sometimes　sounded　on　the　grating　above　my　window。

I　recall　a　tragi…ical　incident　of　life　at　the　British　Museum。　Once；　on　going　down　into　the　lavatory　to　wash　my　hands；　I　became　aware　of　a　notice　newly　set　up　above　the　row　of　basins。　It　ran　somehow　thus：　〃Readers　are　requested　to　bear　in　mind　that　these　basins　are　to　be　used　only　for　casual　ablutions。〃　Oh；　the　significance　of　that　inscription！　Had　I　not　myself；　more　than　once；　been　glad　to　use　this　soap　and　water　more　largely　than　the　sense　of　the　authorities　contemplated？　And　there　were　poor　fellows　working　under　the　great　dome　whose　need；　in　this　respect；　was　greater　than　mine。　I　laughed　heartily　at　the　notice；　but　it　meant　so　much。

Some　of　my　abodes　I　have　utterly　forgotten；　for　one　reason　or　another；　I　was　always　moving……an　easy　matter　when　all　my　possessions　lay　in　one　small　trunk。　Sometimes　the　people　of　the　house　were　intolerable。　In　those　days　I　was　not　fastidious；　and　I　seldom　had　any　but　the　slightest　intercourse　with　those　who　dwelt　under　the　same　roof；　yet　it　happened　now　and　then　that　I　was　driven　away　by　human　proximity　which　passed　my　endurance。　In　other　cases　I　had　to　flee　from　pestilential　conditions。　How　I　escaped　mortal　illness　in　some　of　those　places　（miserably　fed　as　I　always　was；　and　always　over…working　myself）　is　a　great　mystery。　The　worst　that　befell　me　was　a　slight　attack　of　diphtheria……traceable；　I　imagine；　to　the　existence　of　a　dust…bin　UNDER　THE　STAIRCASE。　When　I　spoke　of　the　matter　to　my　landlady；　she　was　at　first　astonished；　then　wrathful；　and　my　departure　was　expedited　with　many　insults。

On　the　whole；　however；　I　had　nothing　much　to　plain　of　except　my　poverty。　You　cannot　expect　great　fort　in　London　for　fou