 a weekly paper treating of things and people literary in a
facetious spirit. It would be caviare to the general, but might be supported, I
should think. The editor would probably be assassinated, though.«
    »For anyone in my position,« said Reardon, »how is it possible to abandon
the three volumes? It is a question of payment. An author of moderate repute may
live on a yearly three-volume novel - I mean the man who is obliged to sell his
book out and out, and who gets from one to two hundred pounds for it. But he
would have to produce four one-volume novels to obtain the same income; and I
doubt whether he could get so many published within the twelve months. And here
comes in the benefit of the libraries; from the commercial point of view the
libraries are indispensable. Do you suppose the public would support the present
number of novelists if each book had to be purchased? A sudden change to that
system would throw three-fourths of the novelists out of work.«
    »But there's no reason why the libraries shouldn't circulate novels in one
volume.«
    »Profits would be less, I suppose. People would take the minimum
subscription.«
    »Well, to go to the concrete, what about your own one-volume?«
    »All but done.«
    »And you'll offer it to Jedwood? Go and see him personally. He's a very
decent fellow, I believe.«
    Milvain stayed only half an hour. The days when he was wont to sit and talk
at large through a whole evening were no more; partly because of his diminished
leisure, but also for a less simple reason - the growth of something like
estrangement between him and Reardon.
    »You didn't mention your plans,« said Amy, when the visitor had been gone
some time.
    »No.«
    Reardon was content with the negative, and his wife made no further remark.
    The result of advertising the flat was that two or three persons called to
make inspection. One of them, a man of military appearance, showed himself
anxious to come to terms; he was willing to take the tenement from next
quarter-day (June), but wished, if possible, to enter upon possession sooner
than that.
    »Nothing could be better,« said Amy in colloquy with her husband. »If he
will pay for the extra time, we shall be only too glad.«
    Reardon mused and looked gloomy. He could not bring himself to regard the
experiment
