"An absorbing labor
will be good for me. My undertaking may result in overworking you, for
you will be obliged to act as my 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.
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