Guy threw the letter down in a rage. He would almost have preferred a flat refusal to this request for money to enable some jaded hack to read his poems. The proposal appeared merely insolent, and he wrote curtly to Mr. William Worrall to demand the immediate return of his manuscript. But after all, if Worrall did not accept his work, who would? Money was an ulterior consideration when the great object was to receive such unanimous approval as would justify the apparent waste of time in which he had been indulging. The moment his father acknowledged the right he had to be confident, he in turn would try to show by following his father's advice that he was not the wrong-headed idler of his reputation. Perhaps he would send the guinea to Worrall. He tore up his first letter and wrote another in which a cheque was inclosed. Then he began to add up the counterfoils of his cheque-book, a depressing operation that displayed an imminent financial crisis. He had overdrawn £5 last quarter. That left £32 10_s_. of the money paid in on December 21st. The quarter's rent was £4 10_s_. That left £28. Miss Peasey's wages were in arrears, and he must pay her £4 10_s_. on the fifteenth of this month. That would leave £23 10_s_., and he must knock off 7_s_. 6_d_. for Bob's license. About £3 had gone at Christmas and there were the books still to pay. Twenty pounds was not much for current expenses until next Lady Day. However, he decided that he could manage in Wychford, if he did not have to pay out money for Oxford debts, the creditors of which were pressing him harder each week. £ _s_. _d_. _Lampard_. Books. 39 15 0 _Harker_. Furniture. 17 18 0 _Faucett_. Books. 22 16 6 _Williamson_. Books. 13 19 0 _Ambrose_. Books. 4 7 0 _Brough_. Tobacco. 9 19 0 _Clary_. Clothes. 44 4 0 _Miscellaneous_. Books, Clothes, Stationery, Chemist, etc., etc. about £50