Whatever thoughts he called up to his aid, they came upon him in depressing and discouraging shapes, and gave him no relief.

Even the diamonds on his finger sparkled with the brightness of tears, and had no ray of hope in all their brilliant lustre.
He continued to sit in gloomy rumination by the stove, unmindful of the boarders who dropped in one by one from their stores and counting-houses, or the neighbouring bar-rooms, and, after taking long pulls from a great white waterjug upon the sideboard, and lingering with a kind of hideous fascination near the brass spittoons, lounged heavily to bed; until at length Mark Tapley came and shook him by the arm, supposing him asleep.
'Mark!' he cried, starting.
'All right, sir,' said that cheerful follower, snuffing with his fingers the candle he bore.

'It ain't a very large bed, your'n, sir; and a man as wasn't thirsty might drink, afore breakfast, all the water you've got to wash in, and afterwards eat the towel.

But you'll sleep without rocking to-night, sir.' 'I feel as if the house were on the sea' said Martin, staggering when he rose; 'and am utterly wretched.' 'I'm as jolly as a sandboy, myself, sir,' said Mark.

'But, Lord, I have reason to be! I ought to have been born here; that's my opinion.