f the mind will there be the craving
to get out beyond the bar, to see the hard, bright glitter of
impersonal land-lights die suddenly in the fresh gusts, and to leave
behind the importunate demands of business, of friendship, and of
love.

"From too much love of living
From hope and fear set free."

The words hummed in his brain as he ascended the stone stairs of the
gaunt building in Mark Lane to face the final ordeal of a _viva voce_
examination before the Head Examiner. There had been a hurried
consultation in whispers in the great examination room. In a far
corner was a glazed, portioned-off space where sat the regular
examiner with a perspiring candidate in front of him, tongue-tied and
weary. And there were a dozen more waiting. So the author was informed
in a whisper that he had better step upstairs and the Head Examiner
would deal with him. And settle his hash quickly enough, thought the
author as he sprang nimbly up behind the assistant examiner. He found
himself in a large, imposing office where at an immense desk sat a man
with a trim beard, rapidly scanning a mass of papers. The author
immediately became absorbed in the contemplation of this person, for
he bore an extraordinary resemblance to George Meredith. The head in
profile was like a Sicilian antique, with the clear-cut candour of a
cameo. Memories of _Lord Ormont and His Aminta_ crowded upon the
waiting victim and he found himself almost hysterical with curiosity
as to what would happen if he claimed to be a distant connection of
Sir Willoughby Patterne, but without the historic leg. What if he led
the conversation gently towards Richard Feverel's perfect love-story,
or alluded to a lady with whom he will always remain in love--Diana of
the Crossways? But nothing of the sort happened. The author was nodded
curtly to a seat, the assistant examiner chose another chair close by,
cleared his throat, shot his cuffs, and pulled up the knees of his
trousers. The Head Examiner, without looking up or desisting from his
rapid writing, began to express his deep regret that the author
apparently preferred to work an evaporator under a pressure instead of
a vacuum. There might possibly be some reason for this which he, the
Examiner, had overlooked, and he would appreciate it if the author
could so far unbend as to outline his experience in this business.
Whereupon the Head Examiner proceeded with his writing and left the
author, in a state of coma, f