hesighed,"imusthaveatendencytosofteningofthebrain,andhereitissoexceedinglyhotthatthebloodisrushingtomyhead."andthensuddenlyrecurredtohimthestrangeeventoftheeveningbefore,whenhisheadhadbeenfixedbetweentheironrailingsinfrontofthehospital."thatisthecauseofitall!"heexclaimed,"imustdosomethingintime.arussianbathwouldbeaverygoodthingtobeginwith.iwishiwerelyingononeofthehighestshelves."sureenough,therehelayonanuppershelfofavaporbath,stillinhiseveningcostume,withhisbootsandgolosheson,andthehotdropsfromtheceilingfallingonhisface."ho!"hecried,jumpingdownandrushingtowardstheplungingbath.theattendantstoppedhimwithaloudcry,whenhesawamanwithallhisclotheson.thevolunteerhad,however,presenceofmindenoughtowhisper,"itisforawager;"butthefirstthinghedid,whenhereachedhisownroom,wastoputalargeblisteronhisneck,andanotheronhisback,thathiscrazyfitmightbecured.thenextmorninghisbackwasverysore,whichwasallhegainedbythegoloshesoffortune.

theclerk'stransformation

thewatchman,whomweofcoursehavenotforgotten,thought,afterawhile,ofthegolosheswhichhehadfoundandtakentothehospital;sohewentandfetchedthem.butneitherthelieutenantnoranyoneinthestreetcouldrecognizethemastheirown,sohegavethemuptothepolice."theylookexactlylikemyowngoloshes,"saidoneoftheclerks,examiningtheunknownarticles,astheystoodbythesideofhisown."itwouldrequireevenmorethantheeyeofashoemakertoknowonepairfromtheother."

"masterclerk,"saidaservantwhoenteredwithsomepapers.theclerkturnedandspoketotheman;butwhenhehaddonewithhim,heturnedtolookatthegoloshesagain,andnowhewasingreaterdoubtthaneverastowhetherthepairontherightorontheleftbelongedtohim."thosethatarewetmustbemine,"thoughthe;buthethoughtwrong,itwasjustthereverse.thegoloshesoffortunewerethewetpair;and,besides,whyshouldnotaclerkinapoliceofficebewrongsometimes?sohedrewthemon,thrusthispapersintohispocket,placedafewmanuscriptsunderhisarm,whichhehadtotakewithhim,andtomakeabstractsfromathome.then,asitwassundaymorningandtheweatherveryfine,hesaidtohimself,"awalktofredericksburgwilldomegood:"soawayhewent.

therecouldnotbeaquieterormoresteadyyoungmanthanthisclerk.wewillnotgrudgehimthislittlewalk,itwasjustthethingtodohimgoodaftersittingsomuch.hewentonatfirstlikeamereautomaton,withoutthoughtorwish;thereforethegolosheshadnoopportunitytodisplaytheirmagicpower.intheavenuehemetwithanacquaintance,oneofouryoungpoets,whotoldhimthatheintendedtostartonthefollowingdayonasummerexcursion."areyoureallygoingawaysosoon?"askedtheclerk."whatafree,happymanyouare.youcanroamaboutwhereyouwill,whilesuchaswearetiedbythefoot."

"butitisfastenedtothebread-tree,"repliedthepoet."youneedhavenoanxietyforthemorrow;andwhenyouareoldthereisapensionforyou."

"ah,yes;butyouhavethebestofit,"saidtheclerk;"itmustbesodelightfultositandwritepoetry.thewholeworldmakesitselfagreeabletoyou,andthenyouareyourownmaster.youshouldtryhowyouwouldliketolistentoallthetrivialthingsinacourtofjustice."thepoetshookhishead,soalsodidtheclerk;eachretainedhisownopinion,andsotheyparted."theyarestrangepeople,thesepoets,"thoughttheclerk."ishouldliketotrywhatitistohaveapoetictaste,andtobecomeapoetmyself.iamsureishouldnotwritesuchmournfulversesastheydo.thisisasplendidspringdayforapoet,theairissoremarkablyclear,thecloudsaresobeautiful,andthegreengrasshassuchasweetsmell.formanyyearsihavenotfeltasidoatthismoment."

weperceive,bytheseremarks,thathehadalreadybecomeapoet.bymostpoetswhathehadsaidwouldbeconsideredcommon-place,orasthegermanscallit,"insipid."itisafoolishfancytolookuponpoetsasdifferenttoothermen.therearemanywhoaremorethepoetsofnaturethanthosewhoareprofessedpoets.thedifferenceisthis,thepoet'sintellectualmemoryisbetter;heseizesuponanideaorasentiment,untilhecanembodyit,clearlyandplainlyinwords,whichtheotherscannotdo.butthetransitionfromacharacterofevery-daylifetooneofamoregiftednatureisagreattransition;andsotheclerkbecameawareofthechangeafteratime."whatadelightfulperfume,"saidhe;"itremindsmeofthevioletsatauntlora's.ah,thatwaswheniwasalittleboy.dearme,howlongitseemssinceithoughtofthosedays!