the whole, satisfactory. An
additional fifteen hundred pounds was to be paid at the close of
_Nickleby_, the new adventure was to be undertaken, and Cattermole was
to be joined with Browne as its illustrator. Nor was its plan much
modified before starting, though it was felt by us all that, for the
opening numbers at least, Dickens would have to be sole contributor, and
that, whatever otherwise might be its attraction, or the success of the
detached papers proposed by him, some reinforcement of them from time to
time, by means of a story with his name continued at reasonable if not
regular intervals, would be found absolutely necessary. Without any such
planned story, however, the work did actually begin, its course
afterwards being determined by circumstances stronger than any project
he had formed. The agreement, drawn up in contemplation of a mere
miscellany of detached papers or essays, and in which no mention of any
story appeared, was signed at the end of March; and its terms were such
as to place him in his only proper and legitimate position in regard to
all such contracts, of being necessarily a gainer in any case, and, in
the event of success, the greatest gainer of all concerned in the
undertaking. All the risk of every kind was to be undergone by the
publishers; and, as part of the expenses to be defrayed by them of each
weekly number, he was to receive fifty pounds. Whatever the success or
failure, this was always to be paid. The numbers were then to be
accounted for separately, and half the realized profits paid to him, the
other half going to the publishers; each number being held strictly
responsible for itself, and the loss upon it, supposing any, not carried
to the general account. The work was to be continued for twelve months
certain, with leave to the publishers then to close it; but if they
elected to go on, he was himself bound to the enterprise for five years,
and the ultimate copyright as well as profit was to be equally divided.

Six weeks before signature of this agreement, while a title was still
undetermined, I had this letter from him: "I will dine with you. I
intended to spend the evening in strict meditation (as I did last
night); but perhaps I had better go out, lest all work and no play
should make me a dull boy. _I_ have a list of titles too, but the final
title I have determined on--or something very near it. I have a notion
of this old file in the queer house, opening the book by an a