That document, I take it, was the end of Mr. Lewisham’s informal honeymoon.  Its advent was the snap of that bright Prince Rupert’s drop; and in a moment—­Dust.  For a glorious week he had lived in the persuasion that life was made of love and mystery, and now he was reminded with singular clearness that it was begotten of a struggle for existence and the Will to Live.  “Confounded imposition!” fumed Mr. Lewisham, and the breakfast table was novel and ominous, mutterings towards anger on the one hand and a certain consternation on the other.  “I must give her a talking to this afternoon,” said Lewisham at his watch, and after he had bundled his books into the shiny black bag, he gave the first of his kisses that was not a distinct and self-subsisting ceremony.  It was usage and done in a hurry, and the door slammed as he went his way to the schools.  Ethel was not coming that morning, because by special request and because she wanted to help him she was going to copy out some of his botanical notes which had fallen into arrears.

On his way to the schools Lewisham felt something suspiciously near a sinking of the heart.  His preoccupation was essentially arithmetical.  The thing that engaged his mind to the exclusion of all other matters is best expressed in the recognised business form.

Dr. L s. d.  Cr.  L s. d
       Mr. L.{ 13 10 4-1/2 By bus fares to South
Cash in hand { Kensington (late) 0 0 2
      Mrs. L.{ 0 11 7 By six lunches at the
                               Students’ Club 0 5 2-1/2
At bank 45 0 0 By two packets of cig-
To scholarship 1 1 0 arettes (to smoke
                               after dinner) 0 0 6
                             By marriage and elope-
                               ment 4 18 10
                             By necessary subse-
                               quent additions to
                               bride’s trousseau 0 16 1
                             By housekeeping exs. 1 1 4-1/2
                             By “A few little
                              things” bought by
                              housekeeper 0 15 3-1/2
                             By Madam Gadow for
                               coal, lodging and
                               attendance (as per
                               account rendered) 1 15 0
                             By missing 0 0 4
                             By balance 50 3 2
              ------------- -------------
              L60 3 11-1/2 L60 3 11-1/2
              ------------- -------------

From this it will be manifest to the most unbusiness like that, disregarding the extraordinary expenditure on the marriage, and the by no means final “few little things” Ethel had bought, outgoings exceeded income by two pounds and more, and a brief excursion into arithmetic will demonstrate that in five-and-twenty weeks the balance of the account would be nothing.