Голод
Part I
Itwasveryquietallaroundme;downneartheQueen’sarbourtwonursemaidsweretrundlingtheirperambulators;otherwise,therewasnotacreatureanywhereinsight.Iwasinathoroughlyembitteredtemper;Ipacedupanddownbeforemyseatlikeamaniac.Howstrangelyawrythingsseemedtogo!Tothinkthatanarticleinthreesectionsshouldbedownrightstrandedbythesimplefactofmynothavingapennyworthofpencilinmypocket.SupposingIweretoreturntoPyleStreetandasktogetmypencilback?Therewouldbestilltimetogetagoodpiecefinishedbeforethepromenadingpubliccommencedtofilltheparks.Somuch,too,dependedonthistreatiseon"PhilosophicalCognition"—mayhapmanyhumanbeings’welfare,noonecouldsay;andItoldmyselfitmightbeofthegreatestpossiblehelptomanyyoungpeople.Onsecondthoughts,IwouldnotlayviolenthandsonKant;Imighteasilyavoiddoingthat;IwouldonlyneedtomakeanalmostimperceptibleglidingoverwhenIcametoqueryTimeandSpace;butIwouldnotanswerforRenan,oldParsonRenan....
Atallevents,anarticleofso-and-somanycolumnshastobecompleted.Fortheunpaidrent,andthelandlady’sinquiringlookinthemorningwhenImetheronthestairs,tormentedmethewholeday;itroseupandconfrontedmeagainandagain,eveninmypleasanthours,whenIhadotherwisenotagloomythought.
Imustputanendtoit,soIlefttheparkhurriedlytofetchmypencilfromthepawnbroker’s.
