第4部分(第5/7 頁)

r…and…　sixpence　a　week……the　most　I　ever　could　pay　for　a　〃furnished　room　with　attendance〃　in　those　days　of　pretty　stern　apprenticeship。　And　I　was　easily　satisfied；　I　wanted　only　a　little　walled　space　in　which　I　could　seclude　myself；　free　from　external　annoyance。　Certain　forts　of　civilized　life　I　ceased　even　to　regret；　a　stair…carpet　I　regarded　as　rather　extravagant；　and　a　carpet　on　the　floor　of　my　room　was　luxury　undreamt　of。　My　sleep　was　sound；　I　have　passed　nights　of　dreamless　repose　on　beds　which　it　would　now　make　my　bones　ache　only　to　look　at。　A　door　that　locked；　a　fire　in　winter；　a　pipe　of　tobacco……these　were　things　essential；　and；　granted　these；　I　have　been　often　richly　contented　in　the　squalidest　garret。　One　such　lodging　is　often　in　my　memory；　it　was　at　Islington；　not　far　from　the　City　Road；　my　window　looked　upon　the　Regent's　Canal。　As　often　as　I　think　of　it；　I　recall　what　was　perhaps　the　worst　London　fog　I　ever　knew；　for　three　successive　days；　at　least；　my　lamp　had　to　be　kept　burning；　when　I　looked　through　the　window；　I　saw；　at　moments；　a　few　blurred　lights　in　the　street　beyond　the　Canal；　but　for　the　most　part　nothing　but　a　yellowish　darkness；　which　caused　the　glass　to　reflect　the　firelight　and　my　own　face。　Did　I　feel　miserable？　Not　a　bit　of　it。　The　enveloping　gloom　seemed　to　make　my　chimney…corner　only　the　more　cosy。　I　had　coals；　oil；　tobacco　in　sufficient　quantity；　I　had　a　book　to　read；　I　had　work　which　interested　me；　so　I　went　forth　only　to　get　my　meals　at　a　City　Road　coffee…shop；　and　hastened　back　to　the　fireside。　Oh；　my　ambitions；　my　hopes！　How　surprised　and　indignant　I　should　have　felt　had　I　known　of　any　one　who　pitied　me！

Nature　took　revenge　now　and　then。　In　winter　time　I　had　fierce　sore　throats；　sometimes　acpanied　by　long　and　savage　headaches。　Doct