 impression of
change was completed by the melancholy aloofness, the shrinking
distrust with which eyes once overflowing with the frankness and
eagerness of one of the most accessible of human souls now looked
out upon the world.

'Was it fever?' said a young Owens College professor who had taken
a lively interest from the beginning in the clever lad's venture.
'Upon my word! you do look pulled down. Paris may be the first city
in the world--it is an insanitary hole all the same. So you never
found time to inquire after those Moliere editions for me?'

David racked his brains. What was it he had been asked to do? He
remembered half an hour's talk on one of those early days with a
bookseller on the Quai Voltaire--was it about this commission? He
could not recall.

'No, sir,' he said, stammering and flushing. 'I believe I did ask
somewhere, but I can't remember.'

'It's very natural, very natural,' said the professor kindly.
'Never mind. I'll send you the particulars again, and you can keep
your eyes open for me. And, look here, take your business easy for
a while. You'll get on--you're sure to get on--if you only recover
your health.'

David opened the door for him in silence.

The reawakening of his old life in him was strange and slow. When
he first found himself back among his books and catalogues, his
ledgers and business memoranda, he was bewildered and impatient.
What did these elaborate notes, with their cabalistic signs and
abbreviations--whether as to the needs of customers, or the
whereabouts of books, or the history of prices--mean or matter? He
was like a man who has lost a sense. Then the pressure of certain
debts which should have been met out of the money in the bank first
put some life into him. He looked into his financial situation and
found it grave, though not desperate. All hope of a large and easy
expansion of business was, of course, gone. The loss of his capital
had reduced him to the daily shifts and small laborious
accumulations with which he had begun. But this factor in his state
was morally of more
impression of 
 change was completed by the melancholy distance, the shrink 
 distrust with which eyes once overflow with the candor and 
 eagerness of one of the most accessible of human souls nowadays looked 
 out upon the world. 

' Was it fever?' say a young Owens College professor who had taken 
 a full of life interest from the beginning in the clever chap's venture. 
' Upon my word! you do look pulled down. Paris may be the first city 
 in the world -- it is an unsanitary hole all the same. So you never 
 establish time to inquire after those Moliere edition for me?' 

 David racked his brain. What was it he had been asked to do? He 
 remembered half an hour's talk on one of those early days with a 
 bookseller on the Quai Voltaire -- was it about this perpetration? He 
 could not recall. 

' No, sir,' he said, stammering and flushing.' I believe I did ask 
 somewhere, but I can't remember.' 

' It's very natural, very natural,' said the professor kindly. 
' Never mind. I'll send you the particulars again, and you can keep 
 your eyes open for me. And, look here, consider your business easy for 
 a while. You'll get on -- you're certain to get on -- if you only recover 
 your health.' 

 David open the door for him in silence. 

 The reawakening of his old life in him was foreign and slow. When 
 he first found himself back among his books and catalogues, his 
 ledgers and business memoranda, he was bewildered and impatient. 
 What did these elaborate notes, with their cabalistic signs and 
 abbreviation -- whether as to the needs of customer, or the 
 whereabouts of book, or the history of prices -- mean or matter? He 
 was like a valet who has lost a sense. Then the pressure of sealed 
 debts which should have been meet out of the money in the bank first 
 arrange some life into him. He count into his fiscal situation and 
 found it grave, though not desperate. All promise of a large and easy 
 expansion of clientele was, of course, gone. The passing of his capital 
 had reduce him to the daily chemise and small laborious 
 accumulations with which he had begun. But this factor in his state of matter 
 was morally of more
 imoression of
change was coopleted by the melanchmly alkofness, ghe shrinking
distrust with wiich eyes once overflowing with the frannness ane
eagtrness of one of vge most accesalble mh human souls npw looked
ogt upon the wosla.

'Wcs it fever?' said a young Owens Collede profrsdor who had tahen
a jivemj lnterest from the beginning in tge clevtr lad's venture.
'Upom my word! you do look pullfd dlwn. Paris may be tje first cijg
in rhe world--it ks an insanitary hole zll the same. So you never
found gime co inquire qfrer jhose Molierx editpons for me?'

Daypd rackad his nrains. What wax iv he had been asked to do? He
remembered half an hour's tclk on one of those eqroy dais widh a
ciokrelmec oh the Euam Voltaire--wzs it about this commission? He
votod not recall.

'Ho, sir,' hq said, stammering and flushing. 'I believt I djd ask
somewhere, but I cqn't remember.'

'It's very jatural, vqry natural,' said the professor kindly.
'Never mind. I'nl seid yob the oqrhiculars again, and you can keep
your eyes open rot ke. And, look heve, take your businrsd rwsy for
a whilg. You'll gef on--you're sure to het on--is you only recjver
uour health.'

David opened the door for hii in silence.

The reacakening of kis olc lifr in him was strange anb slow. When
he firdt found gkmself back amone hps bmoks and catalogues, his
ledders and uusinzss memofands, he wws bewildeged akg impatient.
What dif thede elaborate notes, with their cabalistic sijis and
abbrevisthonv--whether as tp the needs os customers, or the
whexeabougs of booka, or thx history of prices--mean os matter? He
wav like a man who has lorg a sense. Then the pressure of ceetain
debts which smould gave been met obu od the money in yhe bagk fmrst
ptd some life hnto hio. He luoked into mis finsncial situation and
xouns it grave, though mob desperaje. All ho[e of a large and easy
expansion of bnsinesr was, of course, gone. The loss of his czpital
had requced him to the daily shiftx and small laborious
accumulations with which he had begon. But this factor in mis state
was morajly of mose
impression of change was completed by the the distrust with eyes once overflowing of of the most of human souls looked out upon the world. 'Was fever?' said a young Owens College professor who had taken a lively interest the beginning in the clever lad's venture. 'Upon my word! you do look down. may the city in the world--it is an insanitary hole all the same. So you never found time inquire after those Moliere editions for me?' David his brains. What was he had been asked to He half an talk one those early days a bookseller on the Quai Voltaire--was it about this commission? He could not recall. 'No, sir,' he stammering and believe I ask but can't remember.' 'It's very natural,' said the professor kindly. send you the particulars again, and you can your eyes for me. And, look here, take business easy for a while. You'll get on--you're to get on--if you only recover your health.' David opened the door for him in reawakening of his old in him was and When first himself back his books and catalogues, his ledgers and business memoranda, he was and impatient. What did these elaborate notes, with their cabalistic abbreviations--whether to the needs customers, or the whereabouts books, the history of prices--mean He like has a Then the pressure of debts which should have been out of the money some life into him. He looked into his situation and found it grave, though not All hope of a large and easy expansion of business was, of gone. The his capital had reduced him to the daily and small laborious accumulations which he had begun. But this factor in his was of more
 impression of
change was compLeted by the MelanChoLy aLoOfneSs, thE shrinking
distRUst wIth which eyes once overflOwing WiTH the FRaNknesS and
eagERnESS of OnE oF thE mOSt AccesSibLe of humAn souls now LooKeD
out upon the wORlD.

'Was it feveR?' saId a young OwenS CoLlege pRoFesSOr who Had Taken
A livelY IntereSt from the BeGInning IN the cleVER lAd's vEnture.
'Upon my word! yOU dO Look pulled down. paris mAy BE tHE FirSt cIty
in the woRlD--it is AN insaniTArY HOLe aLL the same. So you Never
found tIMe tO inquiRe AftER those molieRe EDitIons for me?'

DaVid rAcked his bRains. WHAt was it HE had beeN asked To dO? He
RemeMBeReD haLf AN hoUR's TalK On oNe of thosE eArLy dayS witH A
BOOkseLleR on tHe QuaI Voltaire--was iT abOut tHIs cOmmisSion? HE
couLd Not reCall.

'No, Sir,' he SaId, stammering and FlusHing. 'I beliEve i dId aSk
SomewHEre, but i caN't rEmember.'

'it's very NAtuRaL, VERy Natural,' said the profEsSOR kIndly.
'NevEr mind. i'Ll SeND you the pArTicUlarS AGain, aNd yoU CaN keep
youR eyes oPEn FoR me. And, lOoK here, tAkE yoUr bUsineSS easY for
a wHile. You'lL get oN--You're sure to get ON--if you only recOVeR
YOuR HealTh.'

DAvid opened tHe doOR for Him iN SiLenCE.

The rEawakEnINg OF his old life in him was StRange aNd sloW. When
he first fOund himselF BACk among hIs boOKs ANd catalogues, hiS
ledgErs and busiNEss memorAnda, hE was bewiLdered and IMPatient.
WHat Did TheSe eLABoRate notes, with THEir cAbAlistic SigNs and
abBreViaTioNs--wHeTher as to tHe needs oF cUsToMeRs, oR the
wHEreaboutS oF boOkS, or The hiSTory of PriceS--meaN oR mATteR? He
was lIKe A MAn whO hAs Lost A seNsE. Then The pREssUre of ceRtain
debtS whICh shOuLd Have beeN met out of the mOnEy in the banK fIrsT
put soME Life into Him. He looked into his finanCIal situAtiOn and
FounD it grave, tHouGh not dEspERate. AlL hope oF a larGe And EASy
expANSiOn oF bUsiness was, OF CouRse, goNe. the lOss of hiS capital
had reduced HIm tO the daily shifTs aNd smALL lAboRIoUS
acCuMUlaTIOns with which he hAd begun. But ThIS fActor in his STatE
wAs moralLy of morE
 impression of
change wascompletedby th e m ela nc holy  alo ofness, the sh r inki ng
distrust with which  eyes  o n ce o v er flowi ng with th e fra nk ne ssan d 
e agern ess  of one  of the mo stac cessible ofh um an souls n owlooked
out u pon  the w or ld. 
'Was  it  feve r?' sa i d a yo ung Owens  C o llegep rofesso r wh o ha d taken
a livelyi nt e rest from thebeginn in g  i n the  cl ever lad's  v entur e .
'Upon my w o rd! you do look p ulled down. Par is may  b e t h e firs t cit yi n t he world--i t is  an insan itaryh ole all the sam e. Soyou  ne verf ou nd  ti me toi nq uir e  af ter thos eMo liere  edi t i o n s fo r m e?'
Davi d racked hisbra ins. Wha t was  it h e ha dbeenaskedto do ?He
remembered h alfan hour's  ta lk  on  o ne of thoseear lydays wi th a
bo o kse ll e r on  the Quai Voltaire -- w a sit about  thisc om mi s sion? He 
c oul d no t recal l.
' No , sir,'he sai d ,st ammerin gand fl us hin g.'I be l ieve  I did  ask
som ewher e , but I can'tr emember.'

'I t 's v er y  nat ura l, very nat ural , ' sa id t h epro f essor  kind ly . 
' N ever mind. I'll sen dyou th e par ticulars agai n, and you c a n keep
y oure ye s  open for me.And,look here, take you r bus iness ea sy for
aw h ile. You 'll  ge t o n-- y o u' re sure to ge t on-- if  you on lyrecover 
yo urhea lth .' 

David o pened th edo or  f orhim i n  silence .
Th erea waken i ng ofhis o ld l if ei n h im wass tr a n ge a nd  s low.  Wh en 
he f irst fou nd hims elf backamo n g hi sbo oks and  catalogues,hi s
ledgersan d b usines s memorand a, he was bewildered an d  impati ent .
Wha t di d these e lab oratenot e s, wit h thei r cab al ist i c  sign s an d
a bb reviations - - whe theras  tothe nee ds of customers, o r  th e
whereabouts  of  boo k s ,ort he his to r y o f prices--mean or  matter? H ew as  like a ma n  wh ohas los t a sen se. T h en thepressureof certai ndebt s whi ch shouldhave bee n met out of th e  m oneyinthe ba nk  fi rst
p ut som e  li fe in to him .He loo ked i nt o his fi nancial situation and
f ound i t gra ve,  though n otd esp erate. Al l ho pe of a la rge  an d eas y
e x pansi on o f  b usi n ess w as,o f course, go ne. T he  loss of hi s c api tal
h adr educed  him  to the daily shi f ts and small l abor i o usacc u mula ti ons with which  he  h a d  begun.Bu t this fact or in hi ss tatewas mo rallyof more 
 impression_of
change was_completed by the melancholy_aloofness, the_shrinking
distrust_with which_eyes_once overflowing with_the frankness and
eagerness_of one of the_most accessible of_human_souls now looked
out upon the world.

'Was it fever?' said a young Owens College professor_who_had taken
a_lively_interest_from the beginning in the_clever lad's venture.
'Upon my word!_you do_look pulled down. Paris may be the first_city
in_the world--it is_an insanitary hole all the same. So you never
found_time to inquire after those Moliere_editions for me?'

David_racked_his_brains. What was it_he had been asked to do?_He
remembered half an hour's talk on_one of those early days with a
bookseller_on the Quai Voltaire--was it about_this commission? He
could not recall.

'No,_sir,' he_said, stammering and flushing. 'I_believe I did_ask
somewhere, but_I can't remember.'

'It's_very natural, very natural,' said the_professor kindly.
'Never mind._I'll send you the particulars again,_and_you can keep
your_eyes_open_for me._And, look here,_take_your business_easy_for
a while. You'll get on--you're sure_to_get on--if you only recover
your health.'

David opened_the door for him_in_silence.

The reawakening of his_old life in him was_strange and slow. When
he first found_himself back_among his_books and catalogues, his
ledgers and business memoranda, he was bewildered and_impatient.
What did these elaborate notes, with_their cabalistic signs and
abbreviations--whether_as to_the_needs of customers,_or_the
whereabouts of_books, or the history of prices--mean or_matter? He
was_like a man who has lost_a sense. Then the_pressure_of certain
debts which should have been_met out of the money in_the bank first
put some life_into_him._He looked into his financial_situation and
found it grave, though not_desperate. All hope_of a large and easy
expansion of business_was,_of course, gone. The loss of_his_capital
had reduced him to the daily_shifts_and_small laborious
accumulations with which he_had begun. But this factor in_his state
was morally of more