He put the letters into his pocket-book, and, having finished breakfast, took his way to his office, pondering as to whether it would be possible for him to get a brief holiday some time during the autumn, run over to Eisendorf, see Herr Süsmeyer, and observe with his own eyes how ‘young Heywood’ was getting on; then go on to where Hugo was studying, and carry him off with him to--Italy, perhaps, or Switzerland. He began to long all at once that he might be able to do so, and to yearn, almost, for the sound of Hugo’s voice; to feel a sudden weariness of this grey, dismal town--this never-ending strife with starvation, this strained suspense, this sensation of standing on the brink of a precipice, which had been present with him, as it was with most men in his position, during all those troubled years. The last two of them he had fought out alone: to-day, for the first time, he felt the battle weary and monotonous--almost ignoble. ‘Please, sir,’ said Ben, who still retained his place in the office, as Sebastian entered it, ‘there’s a message from Mr. Sutcliffe to say he’s very poorly this morning, and can’t come. He’s very sorry, and he hopes he’ll be better to-morrow.’ ‘Ill, is he?’ said Sebastian, going into his private room. Mr. Sutcliffe had often been ill lately, and when he came to his work he walked feebly, and coughed a good deal. ‘That’s another question that must be settled, and before long, too,’ reflected Mr. Mallory, a shade of care upon his brow, when he found himself alone. ‘I must have a serious talk with Sutcliffe, but how I’m to manage to make him have assistance, and yet take the same salary, I don’t know. He is so confoundedly conscientious.’ After working doubly hard, in order to make up for Mr. Sutcliffe’s absence, Sebastian found himself, shortly after eleven o’clock, in the train on his way to Manchester, Tuesday and Friday being the market-days in that city: the days when merchants in the streets most do congregate, and when that impressive spectacle, High ’Change, is wont to be even more imposing than usual. It was a busy day. Sebastian, after going on ’Change and visiting his Manchester office, made certain business calls, and, in the middle of the afternoon, found himself standing in Mosley Street, exactly opposite the Royal Institution.