"It must have been my fancy;" I murmured, turning the flame of the lamp up higher in order to obtain more light in the room--"I am nervous I suppose,--no wonder! Poor Boffles!--good old chap!" I continued, remembering my friend's draft for fifty pounds, which had seemed such a godsend a few minutes since--"What a surprise is in store for you! You shall have your loan back as promptly as you sent it, with an extra fifty added by way of interest for your generosity. And as for the new Mæcenas you are sending to help me over my difficulties,--well, he may be a very excellent old gentleman, but he will find himself quite out of his element this time. I want neither assistance nor advice nor patronage,--I can buy them all! Titles, honours, possessions,--they are all purchaseable,--love, friendship, position,--they are all for sale in this admirably commercial age and go to the highest bidder! By my soul!--The wealthy 'philanthropist' will find it difficult to match me in power! He will scarcely have more than five millions to waste, I warrant! And now for supper,--I shall have to live on credit till I get some ready cash,--and there is no reason why I should not leave this wretched hole at once, and go to one of the best hotels and swagger it!" I was about to leave the room on the swift impulse of excitement and joy, when a fresh and violent gust of wind roared down the chimney, bringing with it a shower of soot which fell in a black heap on my rejected manuscript where it lay forgotten on the floor, as I had despairingly thrown it. I hastily picked it up and shook it free from the noisome dirt, wondering as I did so, what would be its fate now?--now, when I could afford to publish it myself, and not only publish it but advertise it, and not only advertise it, but 'push' it, in all the crafty and cautious ways known to the inner circles of 'booming'! I smiled as I thought of the vengeance I would take on all those who had scorned and slighted me and my labour,--how they should cower before me!--how they should fawn at my feet like whipt curs, and whine their fulsome adulation! Every stiff and stubborn neck should bend before me;--this I resolved upon; for though money does not always conquer everything, it only fails when it is money apart from brains. Brains and money together can move the world,--brains can very frequently do this alone without money, of which serious and proved fact those who have no brains should beware!