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           Mylifeisabitdriegh,”sayshe,pouringoutthebrandy;“Iseelittlecompany,andsitandtwirlmythumbs,andminduponagreatdaythatisgoneby,andwearyforanothergreatdaythatweallhopewillbeupontheroad.Andsohere’satoasttoye:TheRestoration!”

           Thereuponwealltouchedglassesanddrank.IamsureIwishednoilltoKingGeorge;andifhehadbeentherehimselfinproperperson,it’slikehewouldhavedoneasIdid.NosoonerhadItakenoutthedrainthanIfelthugelybetter,andcouldlookonandlisten,stillalittlemistilyperhaps,butnolongerwiththesamegroundlesshorroranddistressofmind.

           Itwascertainlyastrangeplace,andwehadastrangehost.Inhislonghiding,Clunyhadgrowntohaveallmannerofprecisehabits,likethoseofanoldmaid.Hehadaparticularplace,wherenooneelsemustsit;theCagewasarrangedinaparticularway,whichnonemustdisturb;cookerywasoneofhischieffancies,andevenwhilehewasgreetingusin,hekeptaneyetothecollops.

           Itappears,hesometimesvisitedorreceivedvisitsfromhiswifeandoneortwoofhisnearestfriends,underthecoverofnight;butforthemorepartlivedquitealone,andcommunicatedonlywithhissentinelsandthegilliesthatwaitedonhimintheCage.Thefirstthinginthemorning,oneofthem,whowasabarber,cameandshavedhim,andgavehimthenewsofthecountry,ofwhichhewasimmoderatelygreedy.