be, is bound to be rather handicapped in his choice of
action.

With my mind busy over these problems I pursued my way home, only
stopping at a small pub opposite Victoria to buy myself a syphon of
soda and a bottle of drinkable whisky. With these under my arm (it's
extraordinary how penal servitude relieves one of any false pride) I
continued my journey, reaching the house just as Big Ben was booming
out the stroke of half-past nine.

It seemed a bit early to turn in, but I had had such a varied and
emotional day that the prospect of a good night's rest rather appealed
to me. So, after mixing myself a stiff peg, I undressed and got into
bed, soothing my harassed mind with another chapter or two of H.G.
Wells before attempting to go to sleep. So successful was this
prescription that when I did drop off it was into a deep, dreamless
slumber which was only broken by the appearance of Gertie 'Uggins with
a cup of tea at eight o'clock the next morning.

Soundly and long as I had slept I didn't hurry about getting up.
According to Joyce, Tommy would not be back until somewhere about two,
and I had had so many grisly mornings of turning out at five o'clock
after a night of sleepless horror that the mere fact of being able to
lie in bed between clean sheets was still something of a novelty and
a pleasure. Lie in bed I accordingly did, and, in the process
of consuming several cigarettes, continued to ponder over the
extraordinary events of the previous evening.

When I did roll out, it was to enjoy another nice hot bath and an
excellent breakfast. After that I occupied myself for some time by
running over the various notes and calculations which I had made while
I was with McMurtrie, just in case I found it necessary to start the
practical side of my work earlier than I expected. Everything seemed
right, and savagely anxious as I was to stay in town till I could find
some clue to the mystery of George's treachery, I felt also an intense
eagerness to get to grips with my new invention. I was positively
hungry for a little work. The utter idleness, from any intelligent
point of view, of my three years in prison, had been almost the
hardest part of it to bear.

At about a quarter to two I left the house, and making my way down on
to the embankment set off for Chelsea. It was a delightful day, warm
and sunny as July; and this, combined with the fact that I was on my
way to see Tommy, lifted me into a most cheerful frame of m