Fiction > Book editions > London, 1885 - Dynamiter

198 NEW ARABIAN NIGHTS,
pavements, he wondered to find in his heart a sort of
peaceful exultation, a great content, a sense, as it were,
of divine presence and the kindliness of fate ; and he was
able to tell himself that even if the worst befell, he
could now starve with a certain comfort since Zero was
expunged.
Late in the afternoon, he found liimself at the door
of Mr. Godall's shop ; and being quite unmanned by his
long fast, and scarce considering what he did, he opened
the glass door and entered.
' Ha ! ' said Mr. Godall, ' Mr. Somerset ! Well, have
you met with an adventure 1 Have you the promised
story ? Sit down, if you please ; suffer me to choose you
a cigar of my own special brand ; and reward me with a
narrative in your best style.'
' I must not take a cigar,' said Somerset.
' Indeed ! ' said Mr. Godall. ' But now I come to
look at you more closely, I perceive that you are
changed. My poor boy, I hope there is nothing wrong 1 '
Somerset burst into tears.
EPILOGUE OF THE CIOAR DIVAN.
On a certain day of lashing rain in the December of last
year, and between the hours of nine and ten in the morn-
ing, Mr. Edward Challoner pioneered himself under an
umbrella to the door of the Cigar Divan in Rupert
Street. It was a place he had visited but once before :
the memory of what had followed on that visit and the
fear of Somerset, having prevented his return. Even
now, he looked in before he entered ; Ijut the shop was
free of customers.
writing m a penny version-book, that he paid no heed to
Challoner's arrival. On a second glance, it seemed to the
latter that he recognised him.