\"I’mjustreadingBrowning，\"heconfessed，\"andit’sprettytough。I
haven’tgotveryfaralong，andasitisI’veaboutlostmybearings。\"
Nottobetiresome，IshallsaythatIfetchedthebookfromhisstate—roomandread\"Caliban\"aloud。Hewasdelighted。Itwasaprimitivemodeofreasoningandoflookingatthingsthatheunderstoodthoroughly。Heinterruptedagainandagainwithcommentandcriticism。WhenIfinished，hehadmereaditoverasecondtime，andathird。Wefellintodiscussion——philosophy，science，evolution，religion。Hebetrayedtheinaccuraciesoftheself—readman，and，itmustbegranted，thesurenessanddirectnessoftheprimitivemind。Theverysimplicityofhisreasoningwasitsstrength，andhismaterialismwasfarmorecompellingthanthesubtlycomplexmaterialismofCharleyFuruseth。NotthatI，——aconfirmedand，asFurusethphrasedit，atemperamentalidealist，——wastobecompelled；butthatWolfLarsenstormedthelaststrongholdsofmyfaithwithavigorthatreceivedrespect，whilenotaccordedconviction。
Timepassed。Supperwasathandandthetablenotlaid。becamerestlessandanxious，andwhenThomasMugridgeglareddownthecompanionway，sickandangryofcountenance，Ipreparedtogoaboutmyduties。ButWolfLarsencriedouttohim：——
\"Cooky，you’vegottohustleto—night。I’mbusywithHump，andyou’lldothebestyoucanwithouthim。\"