can palter with their conscience. The individual initiative inculcated by
Anarchist principles implied individual sacrifices. Another consideration
which limited our choice was that the office must be fairly central, and
not too far from my home, as, spite of my enthusiasm for Anarchy, I could
not wholly neglect household duties. We talked over these points as we
walked along, and M'Dermott suggested Lisson Grove, where a recent
epidemic of smallpox had been raging, as likely to be a fairly cheap
neighbourhood, but after tramping about and getting thoroughly weary, we
had to acknowledge that there was nothing for us in that quarter. We were
both hungry and tired, and M'Dermott suggested a retreat to a neighbouring
Lockhart's. Seated before a more than doubtful cup of tea, in a grimy
room, where texts stared at us from the walls, we discussed the situation,
and decided to inquire about a workshop which we saw advertised, and which
seemed promising. Our destination led us out of the slummy wilderness into
which we had strayed, into cleaner and more wholesome quarters, and at
last we stopped before some quite imposing-looking premises. "We seem
destined to consort with the cabbing trade," I remarked; "the last office
was over a mews, this place seems to belong to a carriage-builder." There
was, however, no other connection between the unsavoury mews and the
aristocratic carriage-yard, whose proprietor, resplendent in side-whiskers
and a shiny chimney-pot hat, advanced to meet us, a condescending smile
diffusing his smug countenance. I explained to him our object, and he
showed us over the shop, which consisted in a large loft, well lighted and
fairly suitable, at the back of the premises.

In answer to Mr. White's inquiries, I informed him that I needed it as a
printing-office, for a small business I had, and he quite beamed on me,
evidently considering me a deserving young person, and expressed the
opinion that he had no doubt I should get on in that neighbourhood.