It was like sacking a conquered city. But he did not die in his
sins. I joined battle at the first sight of that blue pencil. The
publishers said their reader was a very capable man. So he was, and
a fine fellow to boot; had forgotten more than I ever knew, except
as to the other half, of which he did not know anything. I suggested
to the firm that if they did not think so, they had better let
him write a book to suit, or else print mine as I wrote it. It was
fair, and they took my view of it. So did he. The blue pencil went
out of commission.
How deadly tired I was in those days I do not think I myself knew
until I went to Boston one evening to help discuss sweating at the
Institute of Technology. I had an hour to spare, and went around
into Beacon Street to call upon a friend. I walked mechanically up
the stoop and rang the bell. My friend was not in, said the servant
who came to the door. Who should she say called? I stood and looked
at her like a fool: I had forgotten my name. I was not asleep;
I was rummaging in an agony of dread and excitement through every
corner and crevice of my brain for my own name, but I did not find
it.
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