.

RESPITE.
The last volume was written in fourteen days.

In this achievement Reardon rose almost to heroic pitch, for he had much to contend with beyond the mere labour of composition.

Scarcely had he begun when a sharp attack of lumbago fell upon him; for two or three days it was torture to support himself at the desk, and he moved about like a cripple.

Upon this ensued headaches, sore-throat, general enfeeblement.
And before the end of the fortnight it was necessary to think of raising another small sum of money; he took his watch to the pawnbroker's (you can imagine that it would not stand as security for much), and sold a few more books.