Queed was
taciturn and depressed. He was annoyed by Klinker's presence and
irritated by his conversation; he wanted nothing in the world so much as
to be let alone. But honest Buck Klinker remained unresponsive to his
mood. All the way to Mrs. Paynter's he told his new pupil grisly stories
of men he had known who had thought that they could work all day and all
night, and never take any exercise. Buck kindly offered to show the Doc
their graves.
VIII
_Formal Invitation to Fifi to share Queed's Dining-Room (provided
it is very cold upstairs); and First Outrage upon the Sacred
Schedule of Hours._
Queed supped in an impenetrable silence. The swelling rednesses both
above and below his left eye attracted the curious attention of the
boarders, but he ignored their glances, and even Klinker forbore to
address him. The meal done, he ascended to his sacred chamber, but not
alas, to remain.
For a full week, the Scriptorium had been uninhabitable by night, the
hands of authors growing too numb there to write. On this night,
conditions were worse than ever; the usual valiant essay was defeated
with more than the usual case.
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