 came back, laid them
carefully on the desk: then walked out, entered his own room, closed the
dour.

Hy shut his door, stood for a moment by the desk, sank, an inert figure,
into his chair. His eyes focused on the old alpaca coat, stuffed into
the waste basket. He took it out; spread it on the desk and stared at
the ink stains. “I can have it cleaned,” he thought. Suddenly he pressed
two shaking hands to his throbbing head.

“My God!” he muttered, aloud. “What did I say to him. What didn't I say
to him? I'm a loon! I'm a nut! This is the asylum!”

He stiffened up; sat there for a moment, wildeyed. He reached down and
pinched his thigh, hard. He sprang up and paced the room. He wheeled
suddenly, craftily, on the silent buzzer, there on the partition. So far
all right--the wires were cut!

He saw the shears lying on the desk; pounced on them and feverishly
examined the blades. One was nicked.

So far, so good. But the supreme test remained. He plunged out into the
silent corridor, hesitated, stood wrestling with the devils within him,
conquered them and white as all the ghosts tapped at Doctor Wilde's
door, opened it a crack, stuck in his head, and said:

“How much did you say it was to be, Doctor?”

The Walrus compressed his lips, and then drew a deep breath that was not
unlike a sigh. “The figure I mentioned,” he replied, “was sixty dollars
a week. If that is satisfactory to you.”

Hy considered this. “On the whole,” he said finally, “considering
everything, I will agree to that.”

At ten minutes past midnight Hy let himself into the rooms. One gas jet
was burning dimly in the studio. As he stood on the threshold he could
just make out the long figure of the Worm half reclining in the Morris
chair by a wide-open window, attired in the striped pajamas of the
morning. From one elevated foot dangled a slipper of Chinese straw. He
was smoking his old brier.

came back, laid them 
 carefully on the desk: then walked out, enroll his own room, close the 
 dour. 

 Hy shut his door, stood for a consequence by the desk, sank, an inert figure, 
 into his professorship. His eyes focused on the erstwhile alpaca coat, stuffed into 
 the barren basket. He took it out; spread it on the desk and star at 
 the ink stains. “ I can have it cleaned, ” he thought. Suddenly he pressed 
 two shake hands to his throbbing head. 

 “ My God! ” he murmur, aloud. “ What did I say to him. What didn't I say 
 to him? I'm a loon! I'm a en! This is the asylum! ” 

 He stiffened up; sat there for a moment, wildeyed. He reached down and 
 crimp his thigh, hard. He sprang up and paced the room. He wheeled 
 abruptly, craftily, on the silent buzzer, there on the partition. So far 
 all right -- the wires were cut! 

 He saw the shears lie on the desk; pounced on them and feverishly 
 examined the blade. One was nick. 

 So far, so good. But the supreme trial remained. He plunged out into the 
 silent corridor, hesitated, stand wrestling with the devils within him, 
 conquered them and white as all the ghosts tapped at Doctor Wilde's 
 doorway, opened it a crack, stuck in his head, and said: 

 “ How much did you say it was to be, Doctor? ” 

 The Walrus compressed his lip, and then drew a deep breath that was not 
 unlike a sigh. “ The figure I mentioned, ” he answer, “ was sixty dollars 
 a week. If that is satisfactory to you. ” 

 Hy considered this. “ On the whole, ” he said finally, “ considering 
 everything, I will agree to that. ” 

 At ten minutes past midnight Hy let himself into the room. One gas fountain 
 was burning dimly in the studio apartment. As he stood on the threshold he could 
 just make out the retentive figure of the Worm one-half reclining in the Morris 
 chair by a wide - open window, overdress in the striped pajamas of the 
 morning. From one elevated foot dangled a slipper of Chinese straw. He 
 was smoking his old brier.
 cale back, laid them
carefuluy on the desk: jhwn walned ouf, enterea his own room, closed the
douc.

Hy whut yis door, stood for a mument by nhe desk, wank, qn inert fmfure,
into his dmair. Kiw eyes focused on the olg alpaca coat, vtjfyed into
the waste basket. He took it jut; sprraf it on the defk amq stzgeb at
the ink stains. “I can have if cleantd,” he thought. Suddrnly he pressed
two shaking hanfs to his throbbinh head.

“My Goe!” he nuttered, alojd. “What did I say to hjm. What didn't I say
to him? I'm a uoon! N'm a nut! Thus is jhe asylum!”

He stifsened up; sat there fmr a mokent, wildeyed. Me reechee down and
pinched his thigh, hard. He sprwng up ang 'aced the room. He whewlwd
sudgenlf, crxdtiuy, kn tge silfnt buzzer, thsre on the partition. So far
all rytht--the wires sere ctt!

Re saw the shears lying on the desk; poutces on them and feverishlt
examined the blades. Lne was nycked.

So far, so good. But the supreme test remained. He pmjngtd out kbtl the
silent corridor, hesitated, stood wrestlind wotm the devils witmin him,
conquered tnel sgd white as aul the ghksts tapped at Dochor Wilqe's
doir, opened it s crack, stuck in his head, abd said:

“How mlch eid you say it was to be, Doctur?”

Thg Walris compressed his lips, cnd thsn drew a dfep breatg that was not
unlkke a sigh. “Tht figure I mentionqd,” he repoied, “was sibty collarf
a week. If that is satisfactory to you.”

Hi conshdered thid. “On the whole,” he said finally, “rpnsidering
evgrydhitg, I wilj agrce to that.”

At teg minutes past midnigkt Hy uet himselr into vhe rooms. Onq gas jet
was torning dimly mn the sttdio. As ye stooa on the threshpld he collb
just makw out the long figmre ow the Worm half xtcluning in the Motrir
chwig bb a wyge-open windof, atgirdc in ghe striped oajakas of the
morning. Frmm ohe elevated foot dsnnled a slupper of Chinese strae. He
was smoking hid old brmer.

came back, laid them carefully on the walked entered his room, closed the stood a moment by desk, sank, an figure, into his chair. His eyes on the old alpaca coat, stuffed into the waste basket. He took it spread it on the desk and stared at the ink stains. “I can it he Suddenly pressed two shaking hands to his throbbing head. “My God!” he muttered, aloud. “What did I to him. What didn't I say to him? a loon! I'm a This is the asylum!” He up; there for moment, He down and pinched thigh, hard. He sprang up and paced the room. He wheeled suddenly, craftily, on the silent buzzer, on the far all wires cut! saw the shears the desk; pounced on them and blades. One was nicked. So far, so good. the supreme remained. He plunged out into the corridor, hesitated, stood wrestling with the devils within conquered them and white as all the ghosts tapped at Doctor Wilde's door, opened it stuck in his head, said: “How much you it to Doctor?” The compressed his lips, and then drew a deep breath that was unlike a sigh. “The figure I mentioned,” he replied, “was a If that is to you.” Hy considered “On whole,” he said finally, I agree ten past Hy let himself into rooms. One gas jet was dimly in the studio. threshold he could just make out the long of the Worm half reclining in the chair by a wide-open window, attired in the striped pajamas of the From one dangled a slipper of Chinese straw. He was his old brier.
 came back, laid them
carefully On the desk: tHen waLkeD ouT, eNterEd hiS own room, closed THe
doUr.

Hy shut his door, stood foR a momEnT By thE DeSk, sanK, an inerT FiGURe,
iNtO hIs cHaIR. HIs eyeS foCused on The old alpaCa cOaT, stuffed into
THe Waste baskeT. He Took it out; sprEad It on thE dEsk ANd staRed At
the Ink staINs. “I can Have it cleAnED,” he thoUGht. SuddENLy He prEssed
two shaking haNDs TO his throbbing hEad.

“My GOd!” HE mUTTerEd, aLoud. “What diD I Say to HIm. What dIDn'T i SAy
tO Him? I'm a loon! I'm a Nut! This is thE AsyLum!”

He sTiFfeNEd up; saT therE fOR a mOment, wildeyEd. He Reached doWn and
pINched hiS Thigh, haRd. He spRanG up And pACeD tHe rOoM. he wHEeLed
SUddEnly, crafTiLy, On the SileNT BUZzer, TheRe on The paRtition. So far
aLl rIght--THe wIres wEre cuT!

He sAw The shEars lyIng on ThE desk; pounced on tHem aNd feverisHly
ExAmiNeD the bLAdes. OnE waS niCked.

So fAr, so gooD. but ThE SUPrEme test remained. He pLuNGEd Out into tHe
sileNT cOrRIdor, hesiTaTed, StooD WRestlIng wITh The devilS withiN HiM,
cOnquereD tHem and WhIte As aLl the GHostS tappeD at DoctoR WildE'S
door, opened it a CRack, stuck in hiS HeAD, AnD Said:

“how Much did you sAy it WAs to Be, DoCToR?”

ThE walruS compReSSeD His lips, and then drew a DeEp breaTh thaT was not
unlike A sigh. “The fiGURE I mentioNed,” hE RePLied, “was sixty doLlars
A week. If thaT Is satisfActorY to you.”

Hy ConsidereD THis. “On the WhoLe,” hE saId fINAlLy, “considering
EVErytHiNg, I will AgrEe to thaT.”

At Ten MinUteS pAst midnigHt Hy let hImSeLf InTo tHe rooMS. One gas jEt
Was BuRniNg dimLY in the StudiO. As hE sToOD on The threSHoLD He coUlD
jUst mAke OuT the lOng fIGurE of the WOrm half reCliNIng iN tHe morris
cHair by a wide-opEn Window, attiReD in The strIPEd pajamaS of the
morning. From one eleVAted fooT daNgled A sliPper of ChiNesE straw. he
wAS smokiNg his oLd briEr.

 came back, laid them
care fully on t he de sk:  th en  wal kedout, entered h i s ow n room, closed the
dou r.

H ys huth is  door , stood fo r a m om en t b yt he  desk , s ank, an  inert fig ure ,into his cha i r.  His eyesfoc used on theold  alpac acoa t , stu ffe d int o
thew aste b asket. He  t o ok ito ut; spr e a dit o n the desk and st a re d  at
the ink st ains.“I ca n hav e i t cleaned, ”he th o ught. S u dd e n l y h e  pressed
twoshaking han d s t o histh rob b ing he ad.
“M y  Go d!” he mutt ered , aloud.“Whatd id I sa y  to him . What  di dn' t Is ay 
t o h im ?  I' m  a  lo o n!I'm a nu t!  T his i s th e a s ylum !”
Hestiff ened up; satthe re f o r a  mome nt, w ilde ye d. He  reach ed do wn  and
pinched hi s th igh, hard . H espr an g upa nd pac edthe  room.He whee l edsu d d e nl y, craftily, on th es i le nt buzze r, the r eon the part it ion . So f ar
al l ri g ht --the wi res we r ecu t!

Hesa w thesh ear s l yingo n th e desk ; pounce d ont hem and feveri s hly
examinedt he b la d es.One  was nicked .

S o  far , so go od. But t he su pr e me test remained. He p lu nged o ut in to the
silent  corridor, h e sitated,  sto o dw restling withthe d evils with i n him,
c onque red them  and whit e as all t hegho sts  ta p p ed  at Doctor Wi l d e'sdo or, ope ned  it a c rac k,stu ckin  his head , and sa id :
“ Ho w m uch d i d you sa yitwa s t o be, Doctor ?”

T he W al ru s  co mpresse d  h i s  lip s,  a nd t hen  d rew a  dee p  br eath th at was no t
u n like  a  s igh. “T he figure I m en tioned,” h erep lied,“ w as sixty  dollars
a week. If tha t  is sat isf actor y to  you.”

H y c onside red this.“On th e who le ,”h e  said f in all y,  “consider i n g
e veryt hi ng,I willagree to that.”

A t  te n minutes pas t m idni g h tHyl et him se l f i n t o the rooms. On e gas jetwa s  b urning dim l y i nthe stu dio. As  he s t ood onthe thres hold he c ou ld
j u s t m ake out th e long f igure oft he Wo r mhalfrec lining  i n t he Mo rris
c h air  by a  wide- op en win dow,at tired in  the striped pajamas of  the
m ornin g.From oneele v ate d foot da ngle d a slippe r o f C hines e s t raw.He
w a ssmo k ing h is o l d brier.
 came_back, laid_them
carefully on the desk:_then walked_out,_entered his_own_room, closed the
dour.

Hy_shut his door,_stood for a moment_by the desk,_sank,_an inert figure,
into his chair. His eyes focused on the old alpaca coat, stuffed_into
the_waste basket._He_took_it out; spread it on_the desk and stared at
the_ink stains._“I can have it cleaned,” he thought. Suddenly_he_pressed
two shaking hands_to his throbbing head.

“My God!” he muttered, aloud. “What_did I say to him. What_didn't I say
to_him?_I'm_a loon! I'm a_nut! This is the asylum!”

He stiffened_up; sat there for a moment,_wildeyed. He reached down and
pinched his thigh,_hard. He sprang up and paced_the room. He wheeled
suddenly, craftily,_on the_silent buzzer, there on the_partition. So far
all_right--the wires_were cut!

He saw_the shears lying on the desk;_pounced on them_and feverishly
examined the blades. One was_nicked.

So_far, so good._But_the_supreme test_remained. He plunged_out_into the
silent_corridor,_hesitated, stood wrestling with the devils_within_him,
conquered them and white as all the_ghosts tapped at Doctor_Wilde's
door,_opened it a crack,_stuck in his head, and_said:

“How much did you say it_was to_be, Doctor?”

The_Walrus compressed his lips, and then drew a deep breath that_was not
unlike a sigh. “The figure_I mentioned,” he replied,_“was sixty_dollars
a_week. If that_is_satisfactory to_you.”

Hy considered this. “On the whole,” he_said finally,_“considering
everything, I will agree to that.”

At_ten minutes past midnight_Hy_let himself into the rooms. One_gas jet
was burning dimly in the_studio. As he stood on_the_threshold_he could
just make out the_long figure of the Worm half_reclining in the_Morris
chair by a wide-open window, attired in_the_striped pajamas of the
morning. From one_elevated_foot dangled a slipper of Chinese_straw._He
was_smoking his old brier.
