Now began a period of pleasant idle receptiveness.

Once a week it was my custom to go up to London for the day to receive letters and instructions, if any should come.

I had moved from my chambers in Park Lane, which I leased under my proper name, to a small flat in Westminster taken in the name of Cornelius Brand.

The letters addressed to Park Lane were forwarded to Sir Walter, who sent them round under cover to my new address.

For the rest I used to spend my mornings reading in the garden, and I discovered for the first time what a pleasure was to be got from old books.