August　22。　…　Home　sweet　Home　again！　　Carrie　bought　some　pretty　blue…wool　mats　to　stand　vases　on。　　Fripps；　Janus　and　Co。　write　to　say　they　are　sorry　they　have　no　vacancy　among　their　staff　of　clerks　for　Lupin。
  August　23。　…　I　bought　a　pair　of　stags'　heads　made　of　plaster…of…　Paris　and　coloured　brown。　　They　will　look　just　the　thing　for　our　little　hall；　and　give　it　style；　the　heads　are　excellent　imitations。　Poolers　and　Smith　are　sorry　they　have　nothing　to　offer　Lupin。
  August　24。　…　Simply　to　please　Lupin；　and　make　things　cheerful　for　him；　as　he　is　a　little　down；　Carrie　invited　Mrs。　James　to　come　up　from　Sutton　and　spend　two　or　three　days　with　us。　　We　have　not　said　a　word　to　Lupin；　but　mean　to　keep　it　as　a　surprise。
  August　25。　…　Mrs。　James；　of　Sutton；　arrived　in　the　afternoon；　bringing　with　her　an　enormous　bunch　of　wild　flowers。　　The　more　I　see　of　Mrs　James　the　nicer　I　think　she　is；　and　she　is　devoted　to　Carrie。　　She　went　into　Carrie's　room　to　take　off　her　bonnet；　and　remained　there　nearly　an　hour　talking　about　dress。　　Lupin　said　he　was　not　a　bit　surprised　at　Mrs。　James'　VISIT；　but　was　surprised　at　HER。
  August　26；　Sunday。　…　Nearly　late　for　church；　Mrs。　James　having　talked　considerably　about　what　to　wear　all　the　morning。　　Lupin　does　not　seem　to　get　on　very　well　with　Mrs。　James。　　I　am　afraid　we　shall　have　some　trouble　with　our　next…door　neighbours　who　came　in　last　Wednesday。　　Several　of　their　friends；　who　drive　up　in　dog…carts；　have　already　made　themselves　objectionable。
  An　evening　or　two　ago　I　had　put　on　a　white　waistcoat　for　coolness；　and　while　walking　past　with　my　thumbs　in　my　waistcoat　pockets　（a　habit　I　have）；　one　man；　seated　in　the　cart；　and　looking　like　an　American；　commenced　singing　some　vulgar　nonsense　about　〃I　HAD　THIRTEEN　DOLLARS　IN　MY　WAISTCOAT　POCKET。〃　　I　fancied　it　was　meant　for　me；　and　my　suspicions　were　confirmed；　for　while　walking　round　the　garden　in　my　tall　hat　this　afternoon；　a　〃throw…down〃　cracker　was　deliberately　aimed　at　my　hat；　and　exploded　on　it　like　a　percussion　cap。　　I　turned　sharply；　and　am　positive　I　saw　the　man　who　was　in　the　cart　retreating　from　one　of　the　bedroom　windows。
  August　27。　…　Carrie　and　Mrs。　James　went　off　shopping；　and　had　not　returned　when　I　came　back　from　the　office。　　Judging　from　the　subsequent　conversation；　I　am　afraid　Mrs。　James　is　filling　Carrie's　head　with　a　lot　of　nonsense　about　dress。　　I　walked　over　to　Gowing's　and　asked　him　to　drop　in　to　supper；　and　make　things　pleasant。
  Carrie　prepared　a　little　extemporised　supper；　consisting　of　the　remainder　of　the　cold　joint；　a　small　piece　of　salmon　（which　I　was　to　refuse；　in　case　there　was　not　enough　to　go　round）；　and　a　blanc…　mange　and　custards。　　There　was　also　a　decanter　of　port　and　some　jam　puffs　on　the　sideboard。　　Mrs。　James　made　us　play　rather　a　good　game　of　cards；　called　〃Muggings。〃　　To　my　surprise；　in　fact　disgust；　Lupin　got　up　in　the　middle；　and；　in　a　most　sarcastic　tone；　said：　〃Pardon　me；　this　sort　of　thing　is　too　fast　for　me；　I　shall　go　and　enjoy　a　quiet　game　of　marbles　in　the　back…garden。〃
  Things　might　have　become　rather　disagreeable　but　for　Gowing　（who　seems　to　have　taken　to　Lupin）　suggesting　they　should　invent　games。　Lupin　said：　　〃Let's　play　'monkeys。'〃　　He　then　led　Gowing　all　round　the　room；　and　brought　him　in　front　of　the　looking…glass。　　I　must　confess　I　laughed　heartily　at　this。　　I　was　a　little　vexed　at　everybody　subsequently　laughing　at　some　joke　which　they　did　not　explain；　and　it　was　only　on　going　to　bed　I　discovered　I　must　have　been　walking　about　all　the　evening　with　an　antimacassar　on　one　button　of　my　coat…tails。
  August　28。　…　Found　a　large　brick　in　the　middle　bed　of　geraniums；　evidently　come　from　next　door。　　Pattles　and　Pattles　can't　find　a　place　for　Lupin。
  August　29。　…　Mrs。　James　is　making　a　positive　fool　of　Carrie。　Carrie　appeared　in　a　new　dress　like　a　smock…frock。　　She　said　〃smocking〃　was　all　the　rage。　　I　replied　it　put　me　in　a　rage。　　She　also　had　on　a　hat　as　big　as　a　kitchen　coal…scuttle；　and　the　same　shape。　　Mrs。　James　went　home；　and　both　Lupin　and　I　were　somewhat　pleased　…　the　first　time　we　have　agreed　on　a　single　subject　since　his　return。　　Merkins　and　Son　write　they　have　no　vacancy　for　Lupin。
  October　30。　…　I　should　very　much　like　to　know　who　has　wilfully　torn　the　last　five　or　six　weeks　out　of　my　diary。　　It　is　perfectly　monstrous！　　Mine　is　a　large　scribbling　diary；　with　plenty　of　space　for　the　record　of　my　everyday　events；　and　in　keeping　up　that　record　I　take　（with　much　pride）　a　great　deal　of　pains。
  I　asked　Carrie　if　she　knew　anything　about　it。　　She　replied　it　was　my　own　fault　for　leaving　the　diary　about　with　a　charwoman　cleaning　and　the　sweeps　in　the　house。　　I　said　that　was　not　an　answer　to　my　question。　　This　retort　of　mine；　which　I　thought　extremely　smart；　would　have　been　more　effective　had　I　not　jogged　my　elbow　against　a　vase　on　a　table　temporarily　placed　in　the　passage；　knocked　it　over；　and　smashed　it。
  Carrie　was　dreadfully　upset　at　this　disaster；　for　it　was　one　of　a　pair　of　vases　which　cannot　be　matched；　given　to　us　on　our　wedding…　day　by　Mrs。　Burtsett；　an　old　friend　of　Carrie's　cousins；　the　Pommertons；　late　of　Dalston。　　I　called　to　Sarah；　and　asked　her　about　the　diary。　　She　said　she　had　not　been　in　the　sitting…room　at　all；　after　the　sweep　had　left；　Mrs。　Birrell　（the　charwoman）　had　cleaned　the　room　and　lighted　the　fire　herself。　　Finding　a　burnt　piece　of　paper　in　the　grate；　I　examined　it；　and　found　it　was　a　piece　of　my　diary。　　So　it　was　evident　some　one　had　torn　my　diary　to　light　the　fire。　　I　requested　Mrs。　Birrell　to　be　sent　to　me　to…　morrow。
  October　31。　…　Received　a　letter　from　our　principal；　Mr。　Perkupp；　saying　that　he　thinks　he　knows　of　a　place　at　last　for　our　dear　boy　Lupin。　　This；　in　a　measure；　consoles　me　for　the　loss　of　a　portion　of　my　diary；　for　I　am　bound　to　confess　the　last　few　weeks　have　been　devoted　to　the　record　of　disappointing　answers　received　from　people　to　whom　I　have　applied　for　appointments　for　Lupin。　　Mrs。　Birrell　called；　and；　in　reply　to　me；　said：　　〃She　never　SEE　no　book；　much　less　take　such　a　liberty　as　TOUCH　it。〃
  I　said　I　was　determined　to　find　out　who　did　it；　whereupon　she　said　she　would　do　her　best　to　help　me；　but　she　remembered　the　sweep　lighting　the　fire　with　a　bit　of　the　ECHO。　　I　requested　the　sweep　to　be　sent　to　me　to…morrow。　　I　wish　Carrie　had　not　given　Lupin　a　latch…key；　we　never　seem　to　see　anything　of　him。　　I　sat　up　till　past　one　for　him；　and　then　retired　tired。
  November　1。　…　My　entry　yesterday　about　〃retired　tired；〃　which　I　did　not　notice　at　the　time；　is　rather　funny。　　If　I　were　not　so　worried　just　now；　I　might　have　had　a　little　joke　about　it。　　The　sweep　called；　but　had　the　audacity　to　come　up　to　the　hall…door　and　lean　his　dirty　bag　of　soot　on　the　door…step。　　He；　however；　was　so　polite；　I　could　not　rebuke　him。　　He　said　Sarah　lighted　the　fire。　Unfortunately；　Sarah　heard　this；　for　she　was　dusting　the　banisters；　and　she　ran　down；　and　flew　into　a　temper　with　the　sweep；　causing　a　row　on　the　front　door…steps；　which　I　would　not　have　had　happen　for　anything。　　I　ordered　her　about　her　business；　and　told　the　sweep　I　was　sorry　to　have　troubled　him；　and　so　I　was；　for　the　door…steps　were　covered　with　soot　in　consequence　of　his　visit。　　I　would　willingly　give　ten　shillings　to　find　out　who　tore　my　diary。
  November　2。　…　I　spent　the　evening　quietly　with　Carrie；　of　whose　company　I　never　tire。　　We　had　a　most　pleasant　chat　about　the　letters　on　〃Is　Marriage　a　Failure？〃　　It　has　been　no　failure　in　our　case。　　In　talking　over　our　own　happy　experiences；　we　never　noticed　that　it　was　past　midnight。　　We　were　startled　by　hearing　the　door　slam　violently。　　Lupin　had　come　in。　　He　made　no　attempt　to　turn　down　the　gas　in　the　passage；　or　even　to　look　into　the　room　where　we　were；　but　went　straight　up　to　bed；　making　a　terrible　noise。　　I　asked　him　to　come　down　for　a　moment；　and　he　begged　to　be　excused；　as　he　was　〃dead　beat；〃　an　observation　that　was　scarcely　consistent　with　the　fact　that；　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　afterwards；　he　was　positively　dancing　in　his　room；　and　shouting　out；　〃See　me　dance　the　polka！〃　or　some　such　nonsense。
  November　3。　…　Good　news　at　last。　　Mr。　Perkupp　has　got　an　appointment　for　Lupin；　and　he　is　to　go　and　see　about　it　on　Monday。　Oh；　how　my　mind　is　relieved！　　I　went　to　Lupin's　room　to　take　the　good　news　to　him；　but　he　was　in　bed；　very　seedy；　so　I　resolved　to　keep　it　over　till　the　evening。
  He　said　he　had　last　night　been　elected　a　member　of　an　Amateur　Dramatic　Club；　called　the　〃Holloway　Comedians〃；　and；　though　it　was　a　pleasant　evening；　he　had　sat　in　a　draught；　and　got　neuralgia　in　the　head。　　He　declined　to　have　any　breakfast；　so　I　left　him。　　　In　the　evening　I　had　up　a　special　bottle　of　port；　and；　Lupin　being　in　for　a　wonder；　we　filled　our　glasses；　and　I　said：　　〃Lupin　my　boy；　I　have　some　good　and　unexpected　news　for　you。　　Mr。　Perkupp　has　procured　you　an　appointment！〃　　Lupin　said：　　〃Good　biz！〃　and　we　drained　our　glasses。
  Lupin　then　said：　　〃Fill　up　the　glasses　again；　for　I　have　some　good　and　unexpected　news　for　you。〃
  I　had　some　slight　misgivings；　and　so　evidently　had　Carrie；　for　she　said：　　〃I　hope　we　shall　think　it　good　news。〃
  Lupin　said：　　〃Oh；　it's　all　right！　　I'M　ENGAGED　TO　BE　MARRIED！〃
  CHAPTER　VIII。
  Daisy　Mutlar　sole　topic　of　conversati