A policeman is standing a few steps away, watching me. He is standing in the middle of the street, and he only pays attention to me. As I lift my head, our eyes meet. Maybe he has been standing there for a long time watching me. I pick up my hat, put it on, and go over to him. “Do you know what time it is?” I ask. He pauses a bit as he hauls out his watch, and never takes his eyes off me the whole time. “About four,” he replies. “Accurately,” I say, “about four, perfectly accurate. You know your business, and I’ll bear you in mind.” Thereupon I left him. He looked utterly amazed at me, stood and looked at me, with gaping mouth, still holding his watch in his hand. When I got in front of the Royal Hotel I turned and looked back. He was still standing in the same position, following me with his eyes. Ha, ha! That is the way to treat brutes! With the most refined effrontery! That impresses the brutes--puts the fear of God into them.... I was peculiarly satisfied with myself, and began to sing a little strain. Every nerve was tense with excitement. Without feeling any more pain, without even being conscious of discomfort of any kind, I walked, light as a feather, across the whole market, turned round at the stalls, and came to a halt--sat down on a bench near Our Saviour’s Church. Might it not just as well be a matter of indifference whether I returned the half-sovereign or not? When once I received it, it was mine; and there was evidently no want where it came from. Besides, I was obliged to take it when it was sent expressly to me; there could be no object in letting the messenger keep it. It wouldn’t do, either, to send it back--a whole half-sovereign that had been sent to me. So there was positively no help for it. I tried to watch the bustle about me in the market, and distract myself with indifferent things, but I did not succeed; the half-sovereign still busied my thoughts. At last I clenched my fists and got angry. It would hurt her if I were to send it back. Why, then, should I do so? Always ready to consider myself too good for everything--to toss my head and say, No, thanks! I saw now what it led to. I was out in the street again. Even when I had the opportunity I couldn’t keep my good warm lodging. No; I must needs be proud, jump up at the first word, and show I wasn’t the man to stand trifling, chuck half-sovereigns right and left, and go my way.... I took myself sharply to task for having left my lodging and brought myself into the most distressful circumstances.