Lords，squires，andcockneysmaypassaway，butatimewillscarcelycomewhenChildeHaroldandthatodewillbeforgotten。
　　Hewasapoet，afterall，andhemusthaveknownit；arealpoet，equalto-to-whatadestiny!Rank，beauty，fashion，immortality，-hecouldnotbeunhappy；whatadifferenceinthefateofmen-IwishIcouldthinkhewasunhappy……
　　Iturnedaway。
　　’Greatpoet，sir，’saidthedapperman，turningawaytoo，’butunhappy-fateofgenius，sir；I，too，amfrequentlyunhappy。’
　　Hurryingdownastreettotheright，IencounteredFrancisArdry。
　　’Whatmeansthemultitudeyonder？’hedemanded。
　　’TheyarelookingafterthehearsewhichiscarryingtheremainsofByronupTottenhamRoad。’
　　’Ihaveseentheman，’saidmyfriend，asheturnedbackthewayhehadcome，’soIcandispensewithseeingthehearse-IsawthelivingmanatVenice-ah，agreatpoet。’
　　’Yes，’saidI，’agreatpoet，itmustbeso，everybodysaysso-
　　whatadestiny!Whatadifferenceinthefateofmen；but’tissaidhewasunhappy；youhaveseenhim，howdidhelook？’
　　’Oh，beautiful!’
　　’Butdidhelookhappy？’
　　’Why，Ican’tsayhelookedveryunhappy；Isawhimwithtwo……
　　veryfairladies；butwhatisittoyouwhetherthemanwasunhappyornot？Come，whereshallwego-toJoey’s？Hishugestbear-’
　　’Oh，Ihavehadenoughofbears，Ihavejustbeenworriedbyone。’
　　’Thepublisher？’
　　’Yes。’
　　’ThencometoJoey’s，threedogsaretobelaunchedathisbear：
　　astheypinhim，imaginehimtobethepublisher。’
　　’No，’saidI，’Iamgoodfornothing；IthinkIshallstrolltoLondonBridge。’
　　’That’stoofarforme-farewell。’
　　CHAPTERXL
　　LondonBridge-Whynot？-Everyhearthasitsbitters-Wickedboys-Givememybook-Suchafright-Honourbright。
　　SOIwenttoLondonBridge，andagaintookmystationonthespotbytheboothwhereIhadstoodontheformeroccasion。Thebooth，however，wasempty；neithertheapple-womannorherstallwastobeseen。Ilookedoverthebalustradeupontheriver；thetidewasnow，asbefore，rollingbeneaththearchwithfrightfulimpetuosity。AsIgazedupontheeddiesofthewhirlpool，I
　　thoughtwithinmyselfhowsoonhumanlifewouldbecomeextinctthere；aplunge，aconvulsiveflounder，andallwouldbeover。
　　WhenIlaststoodoverthatabyssIhadfeltakindofimpulse-afascination；Ihadresistedit-Ididnotplungeintoit。AtpresentIfeltakindofimpulsetoplunge；buttheimpulsewasofadifferentkind；itproceededfromaloathingoflife，Ilookedwistfullyattheeddies-whathadItolivefor？-what，indeed!
　　IthoughtofBrandtandStruensee，andYeomanPatch-shouldI
　　yieldtotheimpulse-whynot？Myeyeswerefixedontheeddies。
　　AllofasuddenIshuddered；IthoughtIsawheadsinthepool；
　　humanbodieswallowingconfusedly；eyesturneduptoheavenwithhopelesshorror；wasthatwateror-？Wherewastheimpulsenow？
　　Iraisedmyeyesfromthepool，Ilookednomoreuponit-Ilookedforward，fardownthestreaminthefardistance。’Ha!whatisthat？IthoughtIsawakindofFataMorgana，greenmeadows，wavinggroves，arustichome；butinthefardistance-Istared-
　　Istared-aFataMorgana-itwasgone……“
　　Ileftthebalustradeandwalkedtothefartherendofthebridge，whereIstoodforsometimecontemplatingthecrowd；Ithenpassedovertotheothersidewithanintentionofreturninghome；justhalf-wayoverthebridge，inaboothimmediatelyoppositetotheoneinwhichIhadformerlybeheldher，satmyfriend，theoldapple-woman，huddledupbehindherstall。
　　’Well，mother，’saidI，’howareyou？’Theoldwomanliftedherheadwithastartledlook。
　　’Don’tyouknowme？’saidI。
　　’Yes，IthinkIdo。Ah，yes，’saidshe，asherfeaturesbeamedwithrecollection，’Iknowyou，dear；youaretheyoungladthatgavemethetanner。Well，child，gotanythingtosell？’
　　’Nothingatall，’saidI。
　　’Badluck？’
　　’Yes，’saidI，’badenough，andillusage。’
　　’Ah，Isupposetheycaughtye；well，child，nevermind，betterlucknexttime；Iamgladtoseeyou。’
　　’Thankyou，’saidI，sittingdownonthestonebench；’Ithoughtyouhadleftthebridge-whyhaveyouchangedyourside？’
　　Theoldwomanshook。
　　’Whatisthematterwithyou，’saidI；’areyouill？’
　　’No，child，no；only-’
　　’Onlywhat？Anybadnewsofyourson？’
　　’No，child，no；nothingaboutmyson。Onlylow，child-everyhearthasitsbitters。’
　　’That’strue，’saidI；’well，Idon’twanttoknowyoursorrows；
　　come，where’sthebook？’
　　Theapple-womanshookmoreviolentlythanbefore，bentherselfdown，anddrewhercloakmorecloselyaboutherthanbefore。
　　’Book，child，whatbook？’
　　’Why，blessedMary，tobesure。’
　　’Oh，that；Iha’n’tgotit，child-Ihavelostit，haveleftitathome。’
　　’Lostit，’saidI；’leftitathome-whatdoyoumean？Come，letmehaveit。’
　　’Iha’n’tgotit，child。’
　　’Ibelieveyouhavegotitunderyourcloak。’
　　’Don’ttellanyone，dear；don’t-don’t，’andtheapple-womanburstintotears。
　　’What’sthematterwithyou？’saidI，staringather。
　　’Youwanttotakemybookfromme？’
　　’NotI，Icarenothingaboutit；keepit，ifyoulike，onlytellmewhat’sthematter？’
　　’Why，allaboutthatbook。’
　　’Thebook？’
　　’Yes，theywantedtotakeitfromme。’
　　’Whodid？’
　　’Why，somewickedboys。I’lltellyouallaboutit。Eightortendaysago，Isatbehindmystall，readingmybook；allofasuddenI
　　feltitsnatchedfrommyhand，upIstarted，andseethreerascalsofboysgrinningatme；oneofthemheldthebookinhishand。
　　“Whatbookisthis？“saidhe，grinningatit。“Whatdoyouwantwithmybook？“saidI，clutchingatitovermystall；“givememybook。““Whatdoyouwantabookfor？“saidhe，holdingitback；“I
　　haveagoodmindtoflingitintotheThames。““Givememybook，“
　　Ishrieked；and，snatchingatit，Ifellovermystall，andallmyfruitwasscatteredabout。Offrantheboys-offrantherascalwithmybook。Ohdear，IthoughtIshouldhavedied；upIgot，however，andranafterthemaswellasIcould；Ithoughtofmyfruit，butIthoughtmoreofmybook。Ileftmyfruitandranaftermybook。“Mybook!mybook!“Ishrieked，“murder!theft!
　　robbery!“Iwasnearbeingcrushedunderthewheelsofacart；butIdidn’tcare-Ifollowedtherascals。“Stopthem!stopthem!“I
　　rannearlyasfastasthey-theycouldn’trunveryfastonaccountofthecrowd。Atlastsomeonestoppedtherascal，whereuponheturnedround，andflingingthebookatme，itfellintothemud；
　　well，Ipickeditupandkissedit，allmuddyasitwas。“Hasherobbedyou？“saidtheman。“Robbedme，indeed；whyhehadgotmybook。““Oh，yourbook，“saidtheman，andlaughed，andlettherascalgo。Ah，hemightlaugh，but-’
　　’Well，goon。’