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II
IwishIcouldpersuademyselfthatitwasindeedso.Onthewhole,perhaps,mywisestplanwouldbetopostponeourotherexperimentsuntilWilson’sreturn.IhavewrittenanotetoMissPenclosa,therefore,makingnoallusiontolastnight,butsayingthatapressofworkwouldcausemetointerruptoursittingsforafewdays.Shehasanswered,formallyenough,tosaythatifIshouldchangemymindIshouldfindherathomeattheusualhour.10P.M.Well,well,whatathingofstrawIam!Iamcomingtoknowmyselfbetteroflate,andthemoreIknowthelowerIfallinmyownestimation.SurelyIwasnotalwayssoweakasthis.Atfouro’clockIshouldhavesmiledhadanyonetoldmethatIshouldgotoMissPenclosa’sto-night,andyet,ateight,IwasatWilson’sdoorasusual.Idon’tknowhowitoccurred.Theinfluenceofhabit,Isuppose.Perhapsthereisamesmericcrazeasthereisanopiumcraze,andIamavictimtoit.IonlyknowthatasIworkedinmystudyIbecamemoreandmoreuneasy.Ifidgeted.Iworried.Icouldnotconcentratemyminduponthepapersinfrontofme.Andthen,atlast,almostbeforeIknewwhatIwasdoing,Iseizedmyhatandhurriedroundtokeepmyusualappointment.Wehadaninterestingevening.Mrs.Wilsonwaspresentduringmostofthetime,whichpreventedtheembarrassmentwhichoneatleastofusmusthavefelt.MissPenclosa’smannerwasquitethesameasusual,andsheexpressednosurpriseatmyhavingcomeinspiteofmynote.