8
1853.] 609 BARTLEBY ,THESCRIVENER. ASTORYOFWALL-STREET . (Concludedfrompage667.) AFTERbreakfast,Iwalkeddowntown, arguingtheprobabilitiesproandcon. OnemomentIthoughtitwouldprove a miserablefailure,andBartlebywouldbe foundallaliveatmy officeasusual;the nextmomentitseemedcertainthatI shouldseehischairempty.Andso I keptveeringabout.Atthecornerof BroadwayandCanal-street,Isawquite anexcitedgroupofpeoplestandingin earnestconversation. "I'lltakeoddshedoesn't,"said avoice asIpassed. "Doesn'tgo?—done!"saidI,"putup yourmoney." Iwasinstinctivelyputtingmyhandin mypockettoproducemyown,whenI rememberedthatthiswasanelectionday.  ThewordsIhadoverheardbore norefer- encetoBartleby,buttothesuccessor non-successofsomecandidateforthe mayoralty.Inmyintentframeofmind, Ihad,asit were,imaginedthatallBroad- waysharedinmyexcitement,andwere debatingthesamequestionwithme.I passedon,verythankfulthattheuproar ofthestreetscreenedmymomentaryab- sent-mindedness. AsIhadintended,I wasearlierthan usualatmyofficedoor.I stoodlistening foramoment.Allwasstill. Hemust begone.Itried theknob.Thedoorwas locked.Yes.myprocedurehadworked toacharm;heindeedmust bevanished.  Yetacertainmelancholymixedwiththis: Iwasalmostsorryfor mybrilliantsuc- cess.Iwasfumblingunderthedoor mat forthekey,whichBartlebywastohave leftthereforme,whenaccidentallymy kneeknockedagainstapanel,producing asummoningsound,andinresponsea voicecametomefromwithin—"Notyet; Iamoccupied." ItwasBartleby. Iwasthunderstruck.ForaninstantI stoodlikethemanwho,pipein mouth, waskilledonecloudlessafternoonlong agoinVirginia,bysummerlightning;at hisownwarmopenwindowhewaskilled, andremainedleaningoutthereuponthe dreamyafternoon,tillsomeonetouched him,whenhefell. "Notgone!"Imurmuredatlast.But againobeyingthatwondrousascendancy whichtheinscrutablescrivenerhadover me,andfromwhichascendency,forall mychafing,Icouldnotcompletelyescape, Islowlywentdownstairsand outinto thestreet,andwhilewalkingroundthe vol.ii.—40 block,consideredwhatIshouldnextdo inthisunheard-ofperplexity.Turnthe manoutbyanactualthrusting Icould not;todrivehimawayby callinghimhard nameswouldnotdo;callinginthe police    G   e   n   e   r   a    t   e    d   o   n    2    0    1    4     0    9     1    7    0    0   :    2    2    G    M    T    /    h    t    t   p   :    /    /    h    d    l  .    h   a   n    d    l   e  .   n   e    t    /    2    0    2    7    /    h   v    d  .    3    2    0    4    4    0    1    0    5    1    6    1    1    0    P   u    b    l    i   c    D   o   m   a    i   n  ,    G   o   o   g    l   e     d    i   g    i    t    i   z   e    d    /    h    t    t   p   :    /    /   w   w   w  .    h   a    t    h    i    t   r   u   s    t  .   o   r   g    /   a   c   c   e   s   s _   u   s   e    #   p    d    g   o   o   g    l   e

Bartleby Putnam's Magazine Parte II

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8/18/2019 Bartleby Putnam's Magazine Parte II

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R.

ET.

7.)

downtown,

roandcon.

ouldprove a

tlebywouldbe

easusual;the

ertainthatI

.Andso I

cornerof 

et,Isawquite

standingin

said avoice

I,"putup

myhandin

own,whenI

anelectionday.

bore norefer-

esuccessor

didateforthe

meofmind,

dthatallBroad-

ent,andwere

onwithme.I

hattheuproar

momentaryab-

arlierthan

toodlistening

Hemust

Thedoorwas

ehadworked

t bevanished.

mixedwiththis:

brilliantsuc-

thedoor mat

ywastohave

identallymy

nel,producing

nresponsea

hin—"Notyet;

ninstantI

pein mouth,

ternoonlong

lightning;at

whewaskilled,

hereuponthe

eonetouched

ast.But

ousascendancy

venerhadover

dency,forall

mpletelyescape,

nd outinto

ngroundthe

houldnextdo

ty.Turnthe

ting Icould

callinghimhard

ginthe police

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  i  c  D  o  m  a  i  n ,  G  o  o  g  l  e -  d  i  g  i  t  i  z  e  d

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  a  t  h  i  t  r  u  s  t .  o  r  g  /  a  c  c  e  s  s_  u  s  e  #  p  d -  g  o  o  g  l  e

8/18/2019 Bartleby Putnam's Magazine Parte II

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fnervous

t hutprudent

fromfurther

yandIwere

agedyofthe

estillmoreun-

yofficeof the

eingdread-

ndimprudent-

wildly excit-

edintohis fatal

ynomancould

ntheactorhim-

tome inmy

ct,thathad

einthepublic

dence,itwould

d. Itwasthe

neinasolitary

g entirelyun-

omesticassoci-

fice,doubtless,of 

pearance;—

hichgreatly

abledesperation

resentment

meconcerning

dthrewhim.

lingthe

commandment

veoneanother."

me.Aside

s,charityoften

nd prudentprin-

dtoitspossessor.

derforjealousy's

dhatred'ssake,

spiritualpride's

Iheardof,

almurderfor

eself-interest,

nbe enlisted,

h-tempered

harityand

upontheoc-

to drownmy

ardsthescrivener

ghisconduct.

oughtI,he

besides,he has

tto bein-

atelytooc-

metimeto

y.Itriedtofancy

orning,atsuch

abletohim,

cord,would

e,andtakeup

hinthe direc-

alf-past

keybeganto

isi nkstand,

streperous;Nip-

etudeandcour-

hisnoonapple;

  P  u  b  l  i  c  D  o  m  a  i  n ,  G  o  o  g  l  e -  d  i  g  i  t  i  z  e  d

  /  h  t  t  p  :  /  /  w  w  w .  h

  a  t  h  i  t  r  u  s  t .  o  r  g  /  a  c  c  e  s  s_  u  s  e  #  p  d -  g  o  o  g  l  e

8/18/2019 Bartleby Putnam's Magazine Parte II

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remainidleas

ouldgivea

e.Andwhat

adeaware

f myprofes-

isperofwonder

referenceto

at myoffice.

h.Andasthe

possiblyturning

eepoccupying

gmyauthority;

;andscandal-

tation;and

verthepremises;

ethertothe

doubtlesshe

y),andin the

ndclaimposses-

ofhisperpetual

rkanticipations

dmore,and

udedtheirre-

eapparitionin

waswrought

rallmyfacul-

id meofthis

atedproject,

nd,Ifirst

ebythepro-

parture.Ina

mmendedthe

tureconsidera-

edaysto

edmethat his

mainedthesame;

rredtoabide

to my-

tothe last

whatoughtI

cesayIshould

rghost.Rid

heshall.But

m,thepoor,

uwillnotthrust

utofyour door1

elfbysuch

nnotdo

liveand

up hisremains

youdo?

notbudge.

rownpaper-

ort, itisquite

ngtoyou.

omethingun-

surelyyou

y aconstable,

allortothe

hatground

hingto be

What!hea

refusesto

illnotbea

ektocounthirn

  P  u  b  l  i  c  D  o  m  a  i  n ,  G  o  o  g  l  e -  d  i  g  i  t  i  z  e  d

  /  h  t  t  p  :  /  /  w  w  w .  h

  a  t  h  i  t  r  u  s  t .  o  r  g  /  a  c  c  e  s  s_  u  s  e  #  p  d -  g  o  o  g  l  e

8/18/2019 Bartleby Putnam's Magazine Parte II

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I,with

ninwardtre-

youalludeto

relationor

oushouldhold

e?"

you.I

ormerlyI

;buthe has

or sometime

goodmorn-

heardnoth-

enfeltachari-

e placeand

rtainsqucam-

twithheld

stime,

oughanother

cereachedme.

eday after,I

tingatray

vousexcite-

comes,"

omIrecognized

viouslycalled

y,sir,at

namongthem,

whomIknewto

Wall-street.

nants,cannot

pointing

dhimoutofhis

n haunting

nguponthe

ay.andsleep-

verybody

avingthe

ertainedofa

do,andthat

lbackbe-

lockedmyself 

nIpersisted

tome—no

Invain:—Iwas

veany thing

eldmetothe

henofbeing

ne personpre-

d)Iconsidered

aid, thatifthe

nfidentialinter-

his (thelaw-

at afternoon

ofthenuisance

aunt,there

guponthe

Bartleby?"  P  u  b  l  i  c  D  o  m  a  i  n ,  G  o  o  g  l  e -  d  i  g  i  t  i  z  e  d

  /  h  t  t  p  :  /  /  w  w  w .  h

  a  t  h  i  t  r  u  s  t .  o  r  g  /  a  c  c  e  s  s_  u  s  e  #  p  d -  g  o  o  g  l  e

8/18/2019 Bartleby Putnam's Magazine Parte II

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desttone

excitingcir-

homewithme

mydwelling—

anconclude

angementfor

et usstart

er notto

ectually

uddenness

shed from

reettowards

tothefirst

edfrompursuit.

rnedI dis-

nowdoneall

n respectto

dand histen-

y owndesire

efitBartleby,and

cution.Inow

reeandquies-

ustifiedmein

ditwasnot so

wished.So

nhuntedout

ndhis exaspe-

deringmybusi-

daysIdrove

etownand

rockaway;

andHoboken,

Manhattanville

stlivedin

ffice,lo,a

pon thedesk.

hands.Itin-

ad sentto

byremovedto

oreover,

mthan any

appearatthat

estatementof 

da conflicting

asindignant;

ed.Theland-

ydisposition,had

urewhichIdo

cideduponmy-

rt,undersuch

eemedtheonly

epoorscri-

ustbe con-

ednotthe

spale unmov-

ed.

teandcurious

y;andheaded

min armwith

sionfiledits

nd heat,

oughfaresat  P  u  b  l  i  c  D  o  m  a  i  n ,  G  o  o  g  l  e -  d  i  g  i  t  i  z  e  d

  /  h  t  t  p  :  /  /  w  w  w .  h

  a  t  h  i  t  r  u  s  t .  o  r  g  /  a  c  c  e  s  s_  u  s  e  #  p  d -  g  o  o  g  l  e

8/18/2019 Bartleby Putnam's Magazine Parte II

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friendthere;

eryoucanget.

tohimas

aidthe

ithanexpres-

wasallimpa-

ogivea speci-

benefitto

d;andasking

entupwithhim

s;you

you."

vant,"said

wsalutation

oufindit

ousgrounds—

eyou'llstay

makeit agree-

I havethe

todinner,sir,

m?"

y."said

twoulddis-

edtodinners."

tothe other

ookup aposi-

.

-man,ad-

ofastonishment.

ed,"said

?Well

ghtthat friend

orger;they

el-like,them

m—can'thelp

oeEdwards?"

paused.Then,

my shoulder,

mptionatSing-

aintedwith

quainted

otstop

onder.You

youagain."

againob-

mbs,andwent

estof Bartle-

.

cellnot

maybehe's

"

.

ent man?"

ngme."Yon-

yardthere.

ceI sawhim

t.It was

monprisoners.

mazingthick-

hindthem.

  P  u  b  l  i  c  D  o  m  a  i  n ,  G  o  o  g  l  e -  d  i  g  i  t  i  z  e  d

  /  h  t  t  p  :  /  /  w  w  w .  h

  a  t  h  i  t  r  u  s  t .  o  r  g  /  a  c  c  e  s  s_  u  s  e  #  p  d -  g  o  o  g  l  e

8/18/2019 Bartleby Putnam's Magazine Parte II

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flames1 eatsnorhungersanymore;pardonfor

eannuallythose whodieddespairing;hopeforthose

outthefoldedwhodiedunhoping;goodtidings for

a ring:—thethosewhodiedstifledbyunrelievedca-

haps,moulderslamities.Onerrandsof life,theseletters

entin swiftestspeedtodeath,

drelieve,norAhBartleby1 Ahhumanity!

avelivedanddied,

ughtheopendoors

ntheirerrandsglide,

nd uponthefloors.

rway,onthestair,

omeandgo,

ntheair,

ngtoand fro.

ble, thanthehosts

hall

fensiveghosts,

nthewall.

cannotsee

hesoundsI hear;

hileunto me

andclear.

ouseor lands;

earlierdates

etchtheirdustyhands

theiroldestates.

sworldofsense

andeverywhere

ymistsandvaporsdense

rialair.

equipoise

ddesires;

that enjoys.

tthataspires.

petualjar

ationshigh.

fthatunseenstar,

noursky,

medarkgate ofcloud.

tingbridgeoflight,

anksourfanciescrowd,

nd night;

stheredescends

gitwith this,

,thatswaysandbends,

vethedarkabyss.

  P  u  b  l  i  c  D  o  m  a  i  n ,  G  o  o  g  l  e -  d  i  g  i  t  i  z  e  d

  /  h  t  t  p  :  /  /  w  w  w .  h

  a  t  h  i  t  r  u  s  t .  o  r  g  /  a  c  c  e  s  s_  u  s  e  #  p  d -  g  o  o  g  l  e