It wasn't my job.

Then I pulled it out one day and read it and it seemed rather good, so, having the story in my head, I set to work." "And that's why you didn't go to Persia ?" "How the devil could I go to Persia?
I couldn't write a novel on the back of a beastly camel!" He walked a few steps in silence.

Then he said with a rumble of a laugh.
"I had an awful fright about that time.

I suddenly dried up; couldn't get along.

I must have spent a week, night after night, staring at a blank sheet of paper.