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Chapter 1

           Iwonderifyouare?—orif,likeme,youaregoingrapidlytothedevil!"

           Themusicgrewsofterandmoreplaintive,andwasnowaccompaniedbytherattleofhailstonesagainstthewindow-panes.Agustywindwhistledunderthedoorandroareddownthechimney—awindcoldasthegraspofdeathandsearchingasaprobingknife.Ishivered—andbendingcloseoverthesmokylamp,preparedtoreadmyAustraliannews.AsIopenedtheenvelope,abillforfiftypounds,payabletomeatawell-knownLondonbanker’s,felloutuponthetable.Myheartgaveaquickboundofmingledreliefandgratitude.

           "WhyJack,oldfellow,Iwrongedyou!"Iexclaimed—"Yourheartisintherightplaceafterall."

           Andprofoundlytouchedbymyfriend’sreadygenerosity,Ieagerlyperusedhisletter.Itwasnotverylong,andhadevidentlybeenwrittenoffinhaste.

           DearGeoff,

           I’msorrytohearyouaredownonyourluck;itshowswhatacropoffoolsarestillflourishinginLondon,whenamanofyourcapabilitycannotgainhisproperplaceintheworldofletters,andbefittinglyacknowledged.Ibelieveit’sallaquestionofwire-pulling,andmoneyistheonlythingthatwillpullthewires.Here’sthefiftyyouaskforandwelcome—don’thurryaboutpayingitback.Iamdoingyouagoodturnthisyearbysendingyouafriend—arealfriend,mindyou!—nosham.Hebringsyoualetterofintroductionfromme,andbetweenourselves,oldman,youcannotdobetterthanputyourselfandyourliteraryaffairsentirelyinhishands.

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