Miggot’sbetterdaysthatinspiredmyfriendwithhisdelusionrespectingthechambers，butheneverwaveredinhisfidelitytoitforamoment，thoughhewallowedindirtsevenyears。
Twoofthewindowsofthesechamberslookeddownintothegarden；
andwehavesatuptheretogethermanyasummerevening，sayinghowpleasantitwas，andtalkingofmanythings。Tomyintimacywiththattopset，Iamindebtedforthreeofmyliveliestpersonalimpressionsofthelonelinessoflifeinchambers。Theyshallfollowhere，inorder；first，second，andthird。
First。MyGray’sInnfriend，onatime，hurtoneofhislegs，anditbecameseriouslyinflamed。Notknowingofhisindisposition，I
wasonmywaytovisithimasusual，onesummerevening，whenIwasmuchsurprisedbymeetingalivelyleechinField-court，Gray’sInn，seeminglyonhiswaytotheWestEndofLondon。Astheleechwasalone，andwasofcourseunabletoexplainhisposition，evenifhehadbeeninclinedtodosowhichhehadnottheappearanceofbeing，Ipassedhimandwenton。TurningthecornerofGray’sInn-square，Iwasbeyondexpressionamazedbymeetinganotherleech-alsoentirelyalone，andalsoproceedinginawesterlydirection，thoughwithlessdecisionofpurpose。Ruminatingonthisextraordinarycircumstance，andendeavouringtorememberwhetherI
hadeverread，inthePhilosophicalTransactionsoranyworkonNaturalHistory，ofamigrationofLeeches，Iascendedtothetopset，pastthedrearyseriesofclosedouterdoorsofofficesandanemptysetortwo，whichintervenedbetweenthatloftyregionandthesurface。Enteringmyfriend’srooms，Ifoundhimstretcheduponhisback，likePrometheusBound，withaperfectlydementedticket-porterinattendanceonhiminsteadoftheVulture:whichhelplessindividual，whowasfeebleandfrightened，andhadmyfriendexplainedtome，ingreatcholerbeenendeavouringforsomehourstoapplyleechestohisleg，andasyethadonlygotontwooutoftwenty。TothisUnfortunate’sdistractionbetweenadampclothonwhichhehadplacedtheleechestofreshenthem，andthewrathfuladjurationsofmyfriendto’Stick’emon，sir！’I
referredthephenomenonIhadencountered:theratherastwofinespecimenswereatthatmomentgoingoutatthedoor，whileageneralinsurrectionoftherestwasinprogressonthetable。
Afterawhileourunitedeffortsprevailed，and，whentheleechescameoffandhadrecoveredtheirspirits，wecarefullytiedthemupinadecanter。ButIneverheardmoreofthemthanthattheywereallgonenextmorning，andthattheOut-of-dooryoungmanofBickle，BushandBodger，onthegroundfloor，hadbeenbittenandbloodedbysomecreaturenotidentified。Theynever’took’onMrs。
Miggot，thelaundress；but，Ihavealwayspreservedfresh，thebeliefthatsheunconsciouslycarriedseveralabouther，untiltheygraduallyfoundopeningsinlife。
Second。OnthesamestaircasewithmyfriendParkle，andonthesamefloor，therelivedamanoflawwhopursuedhisbusinesselsewhere，andusedthosechambersashisplaceofresidence。Forthreeorfouryears，Parkleratherknewofhimthanknewhim，butafterthat-forEnglishmen-shortpauseofconsideration，theybegantospeak。Parkleexchangedwordswithhiminhisprivatecharacteronly，andknewnothingofhisbusinessways，ormeans。
Hewasamanagooddealabouttown，butalwaysalone。Weusedtoremarktooneanother，thatalthoughweoftenencounteredhimintheatres，concert-rooms，andsimilarpublicplaces，hewasalwaysalone。Yethewasnotagloomyman，andwasofadecidedlyconversationalturn；insomuchthathewouldsometimesofaneveningloungewithacigarinhismouth，halfinandhalfoutofParkle’srooms，anddiscussthetopicsofthedaybythehour。Heusedtohintontheseoccasionsthathehadfourfaultstofindwithlife；
firstly，thatitobligedamantobealwayswindinguphiswatch；
secondly，thatLondonwastoosmall；thirdly，thatitthereforewantedvariety；fourthly，thattherewastoomuchdustinit。
Therewassomuchdustinhisownfadedchambers，certainly，thattheyremindedmeofasepulchre，furnishedinpropheticanticipationofthepresenttime，whichhadnewlybeenbroughttolight，afterhavingremainedburiedafewthousandyears。Onedry，hotautumneveningattwilight，thisman，beingthenfiveyearsturnedoffifty，lookedinuponParkleinhisusualloungingway，withhiscigarinhismouthasusual，andsaid，’Iamgoingoutoftown。’Asheneverwentoutoftown，Parklesaid，’Ohindeed！Atlast？’’Yes，’sayshe，’atlast。Forwhatisamantodo？Londonissosmall！IfyougoWest，youcometoHounslow。IfyougoEast，youcometoBow。IfyougoSouth，there’sBrixtonorNorwood。IfyougoNorth，youcan’tgetridofBarnet。Then，themonotonyofallthestreets，streets，streets-andofalltheroads，roads，roads-andthedust，dust，dust！’Whenhehadsaidthis，hewishedParkleagoodevening，butcamebackagainandsaid，withhiswatchinhishand，’Oh，Ireallycannotgoonwindingupthiswatchoverandoveragain；Iwishyouwouldtakecareofit。’So，Parklelaughedandconsented，andthemanwentoutoftown。Themanremainedoutoftownsolong，thathisletter-boxbecamechoked，andnomoreletterscouldbegotintoit，andtheybegantobeleftatthelodgeandtoaccumulatethere。Atlastthehead-porterdecided，onconferencewiththesteward，tousehismaster-keyandlookintothechambers，andgivethemthebenefitofawhiffofair。Then，itwasfoundthathehadhangedhimselftohisbedstead，andhadleftthiswrittenmemorandum:’I
shouldprefertobecutdownbymyneighbourandfriendifhewillallowmetocallhimso，H。Parkle，Esq。’ThiswasanendofParkle’soccupancyofchambers。Hewentintolodgingsimmediately。
Third。WhileParklelivedinGray’sInn，andImyselfwasuncommerciallypreparingfortheBar-whichisdone，aseverybodyknows，byhavingafrayedoldgownputoninapantrybyanoldwomaninachronicstateofSaintAnthony’sfireanddropsy，and，sodecorated，boltingabaddinnerinapartyoffour，whereofeachindividualmistruststheotherthree-Isay，whilethesethingswere，therewasacertainelderlygentlemanwholivedinacourtoftheTemple，andwasagreatjudgeandloverofportwine。Everydayhedinedathisclubanddrankhisbottleortwoofportwine，andeverynightcamehometotheTempleandwenttobedinhislonelychambers。Thishadgoneonmanyyearswithoutvariation，whenonenighthehadafitoncominghome，andfellandcuthisheaddeep，butpartlyrecoveredandgropedaboutinthedarktofindthedoor。Whenhewasafterwardsdiscovered，dead，itwasclearlyestablishedbythemarksofhishandsabouttheroomthathemusthavedoneso。Now，thischancedonthenightofChristmasEve，andoverhimlivedayoungfellowwhohadsistersandyoungcountryfriends，andwhogavethemalittlepartythatnight，inthecourseofwhichtheyplayedatBlindman’sBuff。Theyplayedthatgame，fortheirgreatersport，bythelightofthefireonly；
andonce，whentheywereallquietlyrustlingandstealingabout，andtheblindmanwastryingtopickouttheprettiestsisterforwhichIamfarfromblaminghim，somebodycried，Hark！ThemanbelowmustbeplayingBlindman’sBuffbyhimselfto-night！Theylistened，andtheyheardsoundsofsomeonefallingaboutandstumblingagainstfurniture，andtheyalllaughedattheconceit，andwentonwiththeirplay，morelight-heartedandmerrythanever。Thus，thosetwosodifferentgamesoflifeanddeathwereplayedouttogether，blindfolded，inthetwosetsofchambers。
Sucharetheoccurrences，which，comingtomyknowledge，imbuedmelongagowithastrongsenseofthelonelinessofchambers。Therewasafantasticillustrationtomuchthesamepurposeimplicitlybelievedbyastrangesortofmannowdead，whomIknewwhenIhadnotquitearrivedatlegalyearsofdiscretion，thoughIwasalreadyintheuncommercialline。
Thiswasamanwho，thoughnotmorethanthirty，hadseentheworldindiversirreconcilablecapacities-hadbeenanofficerinaSouthAmericanregimentamongotheroddthings-buthadnotachievedmuchinanywayoflife，andwasindebt，andinhiding。
HeoccupiedchambersofthedreariestnatureinLyonsInn；hisname，however，wasnotuponthedoor，ordoor-post，butinlieuofitstoodthenameofafriendwhohaddiedinthechambers，andhadgivenhimthefurniture。Thestoryaroseoutofthefurniture，andwastothiseffect:-Lettheformerholderofthechambers，whosenamewasstilluponthedooranddoor-post，beMr。Testator。
Mr。TestatortookasetofchambersinLyonsInnwhenhehadbutveryscantyfurnitureforhisbedroom，andnoneforhissitting-
room。Hehadlivedsomewintrymonthsinthiscondition，andhadfounditverybareandcold。Onenight，pastmidnight，whenhesatwritingandstillhadwritingtodothatmustbedonebeforehewenttobed，hefoundhimselfoutofcoals。Hehadcoalsdown-
stairs，buthadneverbeentohiscellar；howeverthecellar-keywasonhismantelshelf，andifhewentdownandopenedthecellaritfitted，hemightfairlyassumethecoalsinthatcellartobehis。Astohislaundress，shelivedamongthecoal-waggonsandThameswatermen-fortherewereThameswatermenatthattime-insomeunknownrat-holebytheriver，downlanesandalleysontheothersideoftheStrand。Astoanyotherpersontomeethimorobstructhim，LyonsInnwasdreaming，drunk，maudlin，moody，betting，broodingoverbill-discountingorrenewing-asleeporawake，mindingitsownaffairs。Mr。Testatortookhiscoal-scuttleinonehand，hiscandleandkeyintheother，anddescendedtothedismallestundergrounddensofLyonsInn，wherethelatevehiclesinthestreetsbecamethunderous，andallthewater-pipesintheneighbourhoodseemedtohaveMacbeth’sAmenstickingintheirthroats，andtobetryingtogetitout。Aftergropinghereandthereamonglowdoorstonopurpose，Mr。Testatoratlengthcametoadoorwitharustypadlockwhichhiskeyfitted。Gettingthedooropenwithmuchtrouble，andlookingin，hefound，nocoals，butaconfusedpileoffurniture。Alarmedbythisintrusiononanotherman’sproperty，helockedthedooragain，foundhisowncellar，filledhisscuttle，andreturnedup-stairs。
Butthefurniturehehadseen，ranoncastorsacrossandacrossMr。
Testator’smindincessantly，when，inthechillhouroffiveinthemorning，hegottobed。Heparticularlywantedatabletowriteat，andatableexpresslymadetobewrittenat，hadbeenthepieceoffurnitureintheforegroundoftheheap。Whenhislaundressemergedfromherburrowinthemorningtomakehiskettleboil，heartfullyleduptothesubjectofcellarsandfurniture；butthetwoideashadevidentlynoconnexioninhermind。Whenshelefthim，andhesatathisbreakfast，thinkingaboutthefurniture，herecalledtherustystateofthepadlock，andinferredthatthefurnituremusthavebeenstoredinthecellarsforalongtime-