just now, I might have had a little joke about it. The sweep
called, but had the audacity to come up to the hall-door and lean
his dirty bag of soot on the door-step. He, however, was so
polite, I could not rebuke him. He said Sarah lighted the fire.
Unfortunately, Sarah heard this, for she was dusting the banisters,
and she ran down, and flew into a temper with the sweep, causing a
row on the front door-steps, which I would not have had happen for
anything. I ordered her about her business, and told the sweep I
was sorry to have troubled him; and so I was, for the door-steps
were covered with soot in consequence of his visit. I would
willingly give ten shillings to find out who tore my diary.

November 2.--I spent the evening quietly with Carrie, of whose
company I never tire. We had a most pleasant chat about the
letters on "Is Marriage a Failure?" It has been no failure in our
case. In talking over our own happy experiences, we never noticed
that it was past midnight. We were startled by hearing the door
slam violently. Lupin had come in. He made no attempt to turn
down the gas in the passage, or even to look into the room where we
were, but went straight up to bed, making a terrible noise. I
asked him to come down for a moment, and he begged to be excused,
as he was "dead beat," an observation that was scarcely consistent
with the fact that, for a quarter of an hour afterwards, he was
positively dancing in his room, and shouting out, "See me dance the
polka!" or some such nonsense.

November 3.--Good news at last. Mr. Perkupp has got an appointment
for Lupin, and he is to go and see about it on Monday. Oh, how my
mind is relieved! I went to Lupin's room to take the good news to
him, but he was in bed, very seedy, so I resolved to keep it over