Septimus Hardon seemed to be of the same opinion, for he sighed, took his hat, and went homeward in a frame of mind that made him feel disposed to bury the past and its cares, and look only to the future; while old Matt picked up a newspaper, and began mechanically folding it into small squares--butter-shop size. "No," he muttered, "not much chance of finding that particular scrap of paper, if we don't get hold of the book through the old doctor's heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns. And that's where we ought to begin; putting ads in the _Times_, and setting private inquirers to work, and all on to that tune; only, to play that tune, sir, you want money. Some careless hussy has burnt that scrap of paper, sir, long ago, to light a fire; or it has been used for twisting-up screws of tobacco, or ha'porths of toffee, or hundreds of other things as some beggarly shop or another is licensed to deal in. Only fancy someone lighting his pipe with that valuable little scrap of paper! `Medicine and attendance, Mrs Hardon, two, twelve, six!' I'll be bound to say that was the figure, and I'd give something to get hold of that bit. Wonder whether it's selfishness, and thinking of what it would be worth to me? S'pose be; for this is a rum world, and I'm no better than I should be. But who'd ever have thought this would have come out of my going to his office and asking for a job? Don't matter, though, about what I feel, for he'd have come to see me here safe enough, even if it had not been about his affairs; for he's a trump, sir, a trump: but all the same, it's a pity he ain't got more in him--worldly stuff, you know." Old Matt sat very thoughtfully for awhile, and then began to mutter again. "Wish I had a pinch of snuff once more. There now; I'm blest. Only to think of that! me having my box in my pocket, and to forget all about it--shows what my head's worth now. Bravo! though; that seems to clear one's head wonderfully. I shall recommend its use in lunatic asylums for mental diseases; fine thing, I believe. Only to think, though, for me to get that into my head about that entry I had seen, and trying to write it down, and then for it to be clean gone once more! S'pose I did think of something of the kind, or see it, or something. Heigho!" he sighed; "I must have been precious bad though, sir, confoundedly bad. Thank goodness it's all over, though, for this time; and I'm going to walk out soon, instead of, as I expected, being taken to the students' lodgings in small pieces, wrapped up in paper--paper--waste-paper--by jingo! though, I'll have a go at the waste-paper everywhere. I'll search every waste-paper shop in London, beginning at Mother Slagg's-- beg her pardon, Gross by this time I suppose, and--and--hooray!" he shouted wildly, to the intense astonishment of the fellow-patients, as he tossed his newspaper in the air. "Snuff for ever! that pinch did it. Only let me get out of this place. At last!"