第3部分(第6/7 頁)

ooth！　If　my　writing　failed　to　please　editor；　publisher；　public；　where　was　my　daily　bread？　The　greater　my　success；　the　more　numerous　my　employers。　I　was　the　slave　of　a　multitude。　By　heaven's　grace　I　had　succeeded　in　pleasing　（that　is　to　say；　in　making　myself　a　source　of　profit　to）　certain　persons　who　represented　this　vague　throng；　for　the　time；　they　were　gracious　to　me；　but　what　justified　me　in　the　faith　that　I　should　hold　the　ground　I　had　gained？　Could　the　position　of　any　toiling　man　be　more　precarious　than　mine？　I　tremble　now　as　I　think　of　it；　tremble　as　I　should　in　watching　some　one　who　walked　carelessly　on　the　edge　of　an　abyss。　I　marvel　at　the　recollection　that　for　a　good　score　of　years　this　pen　and　a　scrap　of　paper　clothed　and　fed　me　and　my　household；　kept　me　in　physical　fort；　held　at　bay　all　those　hostile　forces　of　the　world　ranged　against　one　who　has　no　resource　save　in　his　own　right　hand。

But　I　was　thinking　of　the　year　which　saw　my　first　exodus　from　London。　On　an　irresistible　impulse；　I　suddenly　made　up　my　mind　to　go　into　Devon；　a　part　of　England　I　had　never　seen。　At　the　end　of　March　I　escaped　from　my　grim　lodgings；　and；　before　I　had　time　to　reflect　on　the　details　of　my　undertaking；　I　found　myself　sitting　in　sunshine　at　a　spot　very　near　to　where　I　now　dwell……before　me　the　green　valley　of　the　broadening　Exe　and　the　pine…clad　ridge　of　Haldon。　That　was　one　of　the　moments　of　my　life　y　state　of　mind　was　very　strange。　Though　as　boy　and　youth　I　had　been　familiar　with　the　country；　had　seen　much　of　England's　beauties；　it　was　as　though　I　found　myself　for　the　first　time　before　a　natural　landscape。　Those　years　of　London　had　obscured　all　my　earlier　life；　I　was　like　a　man　town…born　and　bred；　who　scarce　knows　anything　but　street　vistas。　The　light；　the　air；　had　for　me　som