Ruskin\'s。Hehadthe\'OdetoDespair\'ofSmith（nowacomicwriter），andthe\'LoveLyrics\'ofBrown，whoisnowapermanentunder-secretary，thanwhichnothingcanbelessgaynormorepermanent。HehadtheamatorysongswhichadignitaryoftheChurchpublishedandwithdrewfromcirculation。Blintonwaswonttosayheexpectedtocomeacross\'TrioletsofaTribune，\'byMr。JohnBright，and\'OriginalHymnsforInfantMinds，\'byMr。HenryLabouchere，ifheonlyhuntedlongenough。
OnthedayofwhichIspeakhehadsecuredavolumeoflove-poemswhichtheauthorhaddonehisbesttodestroy，andhehadgonetohisclubandreadallthefunniestpassagesaloudtofriendsoftheauthor，whowasontheclubcommittee。Ah，wasthisakindaction？
Inshort，Blintonhadfilledupthecupofhisiniquities，andnobodywillbesurprisedtohearthathemettheappropriatepunishmentofhisoffence。Blintonhadpassed，onthewhole，ahappyday，notwithstandingtheerrorabouttheElzevir。Hedinedwellathisclub，wenthome，sleptwell，andstartednextmorningforhisofficeintheCity，walking，asusual，andintendingtopursuethepleasuresofthechaseatallthebook-stalls。Attheveryfirst，intheBromptonRoad，hesawamanturningovertherubbishinthecheapbox。Blintonstaredathim，fanciedheknewhim，thoughthedidn\'t，andthenbecameapreytotheglitteringeyeoftheother。TheStranger，whoworetheconventionalcloakandslouchedsofthatofStrangers，wasapparentlyanaccomplishedmesmerist，orthought-reader，oradept，oresotericBuddhist。HeresembledMr。Isaacs，Zanoni（inthenovelofthatname），Mendoza（in\'Codlingsby\'），thesoul-lessmanin\'AStrangeStory，\'Mr。Home，Mr。IrvingBishop，aBuddhistadeptintheastralbody，andmostothermysteriouscharactersofhistoryandfiction。BeforehisAwfulWill，Blinton\'smeremodernobstinacyshrankbacklikeachildabashed。TheStrangerglidedtohimandwhispered，\"Buythese。\"
\"These\"wereacompletesetofAuerbach\'snovels，inEnglish，which，Ineednotsay，Blintonwouldneverhavedreamtofpurchasinghadhebeenlefttohisowndevices。
\"Buythese！\"repeatedtheAdept，orwhateverhewas，inacruelwhisper。Payingthesumdemanded，andtrailinghisvastloadofGermanromance，poorBlintonfollowedthefiend。