I had completed my toilet, but not my
story, when in rushed Castleton.
After a little general conversation, I seemed naturally to return to the
Peters story; and now, in a five-minute talk, I so closed it to the
point reached by Bainbridge as to satisfy Arthur, and not weary the
restless doctor. As I ended, Castleton said:
"I didn't get in to see you yesterday. The last time I was in we were
talking of names; and to tell you the truth, it was a matter of names
that held me back yesterday at the very time I was going to come up. You
see, I have an old friend here in town, ----; you've no doubt heard of
him--ex-member of Congress, and as good as appointed Minister to
Venezuela right now. A scholar of the deepest erudition; a speaker and
writer of great force and nicety, and of exquisite literary taste.
Yesterday we met, and during our talk he told me that his book, the
result of many years of thought, was completed. Now, for my part, I
never believed that a rose would smell as sweet as it does if we called
it a turnip. If Poe had, instead of 'Narrative of A. Gordon Pym,' named
his story, 'Adventures of Dirk Peters, the Half-Breed,' he would have
sold twice as many books. My friend is about to publish his book.
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