On the other hand he spent
quite two hours in a delightful second-hand bookshop on his way to the
place where you buy crockery, and then forgot the crockery. He did,
reminded and directed by Mr. Vickerton, the postmistress's son, get to
a paperhanger's and order him and his men to come out in shoals to
Symford the next morning at daybreak, making the paperhanger vow, who
had never seen them, that the cottages should be done by nightfall.
Then, happening to come to the seashore, he stood for a moment
refreshing his nostrils with saltness, for he was desperately worn
out, and what he did after that heaven knows. Anyhow young Vickerton
found him hours afterwards walking up and down the shingle in the
dark, waving his arms about and crying--
"O, qui me gelidis convallibus Haemi
Sistat et ingenti ramorum protegat umbra!"
"Talking German out loud to himself," said young Vickerton to his
mother that night; and it is possible that he had been doing it all
the time.
And while he was doing these things Priscilla was having calls paid
her.
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