that, though I seemed to have given not one
single thought to the future, though I seemed to have made no plan,
but, on the contrary, to have confined myself exclusively to the
idlest sort of musing upon the past, yet, as I walked into my dark
room, I knew that I had definitely decided to leave Dursley at once,
and take the next step in my career. I actually whispered to myself:

'It's a good little room. I shall miss this room. I shall often think
of the nights I've spent here.'

All this, as though my few belongings had been packed, and I had
arranged to depart next morning; though, in fact, I had not given a
single conscious thought to the matter of leaving Dursley until I
turned my back on the evening star.

Next morning at breakfast I told Mrs. Gabbitas I meant to leave and
make for Sydney; and Mrs. Gabbitas gave me to understand that, with
all their infinite varieties of foolishness, most young fellows shared
one idiosyncrasy in common: they none of them had sense enough to know
when they were well off. I spoke of my shorthand, and said I had not
been working at it for nothing. Mrs. Gabbitas sniffed, and expressed
very plainly the doubts she felt about shorthand ever providing me
with meals of the kind I enjoyed at her kitchen table.

'I suppose the fact is gardening isn't good enough for you, and you
want to be a gentleman,' the good soul said, with sounding irony. And,
whilst I made some modestly deprecatory sound in reply, my thoughts
said: 'You are precisely right.'

With news in hand I have no doubt Mrs. Gabbitas took an early
opportunity of a chat with Mrs. Perkins. At all events I had no sooner
got my lawn-mower to work that morning than the mistress called me to
her where she lay on the verandah.

'Is it true we're going to lose you, Nick?' she said very kindly. And,
as my irritating way still was, I blushed confusedly as I endorsed the
report.

'Well, of course, we knew we should, sooner or later; and, though
we'll be sorry to lose you, you are right to go; quite right. I am
sure of that, and so is Geo--so is Mr. Perkins. But have you got a
situation to go to, Nick?'

I told her I had not, and that I did not think I could secure a berth
in Sydney while I was still in Dursley.

'No, no, perhaps not,' she said musingly. 'You must talk to Mr.
Perkins about it, and I will, too. What made you decide on going now,
Nick?'

'I--I don't know,' I replied awkwardly. And then the sweet kindliness
of her