under-study even more frequently than
you do now."

"Oh, I'm not afraid of work," said he; "I can stand any amount of it.
But how about the evening discourses,--will they come to an end?"

"Not at all," said I; "I shall go on giving you an account of my
travels, just as before. This will help me to judge better what to put
in and what to leave out."

"I am very glad to hear that," he said, with animation; "I do not
hesitate to own to you that I should very greatly regret to lose those
most interesting accounts of your experiences."

This was very complimentary, but, as he was paid to listen, the remark
did not possess the force it would have had, had he paid to hear me.

Enthusiastically I went to work upon my book, and I found that talking
about my travels to Walkirk helped me to write about them for the
public. But a week had not passed when I came to the conclusion that
writing was in no way so pleasant as talking. I disliked labor with the
pen; I disliked long sitting at my desk. The composition of the matter
was enough for me; some one else should put it on paper. I must have a
secretary. I went immediately to Walkirk, who was at the inn, working
upon some of my accounts.

"Walkirk," said I, "I can get somebody else to do that sort of thing. I
want you to act as my amanuensis."

To my surprise his face clouded. He seemed troubled, even pained.

"I am very, very sorry," he said, "to decline any work which you may
desire me to do, but I really must decline this. I cannot write from
dictation. I cannot be your amanuensis. Although it may seem like
boasting, this is one of the few things I cannot do: my nervous
temperament, my disposition, in fact my very nature, stand in the way,
and make the thing impossible."

I could not understand Walkirk's objections to this sort of work, for he
was a ready writer, a good stenographer, and had shown himself perfectly
willing and able to perform duties much more difficult and distasteful
than I imagined this possibly could be. But there are many things I do
not understand, and which I consider it a waste of time to try to
understand; and this was one of them.

"Then I must get some one else," said I.

"If you decide to do that," said Walkirk, "I will attend to the matter
for you, and you need trouble yourself no further about it. I will go to
the city, or wherever it is necessary to go, and get you an amanuensis."

"Do so," said I, "but come and report to me before