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           Hewon’tsaywhatisthecauseofthebreach.Heisevidentlycondemningherconduct,andyet,ifweventuretoagreewithhim,sayshewon’thearawordagainsther.Sowhatisonetodo?Anotherthingwhichisdisappointingtomeis,thatCarrieandLupintakenointerestwhateverinmydiary.

           Ibroachedthesubjectatthebreakfast-tabletoday.Isaid:“Iwasinhopesthat,ifanythingeverhappenedtome,thediarywouldbeanendlesssourceofpleasuretoyouboth;tosaynothingofthechanceoftheremunerationwhichMayaccruefromitsbeingpublished.”

           BothCarrieandLupinburstoutlaughing.Carriewassorryforthis,Icouldsee,forshesaid:“Ididnotmeantoberude,dearCharlie;buttrulyIdonotthinkyourdiarywouldsufficientlyinterestthepublictobetakenupbyapublisher.”

           Ireplied:“Iamsureitwouldprovequiteasinterestingassomeoftheridiculousreminiscencesthathavebeenpublishedlately.Besides,it’sthediarythatmakestheman.WherewouldEvelynandPepyshavebeenifithadnotbeenfortheirdiaries?”

           CarriesaidIwasquiteaphilosopher;butLupin,inajeeringtone,said:“Ifithadbeenwrittenonlargerpaper,Guv.,wemightgetafairpricefromabuttermanforit.”

           AsIamintheprospectivevein,Ivowtheendofthisyearwillseetheendofmydiary.

           December19.—TheannualinvitationcametospendChristmaswithCarrie’smother—theusualfamilyfestivegatheringtowhichwealwayslookforward.Lupindeclinedtogo.Iwasastounded,andexpressedmysurpriseanddisgust.