For the next month,occupied with my own affairs,I saw no one connected with this lamentable business,and my mind ceased to be occupied with it.But one day,when I was walking along,bent on some errand,I passed Charles Strickland.The sight of him brought back to me all the horror which I was not unwilling to forget,and I felt in me a sudden repulsion for the cause of it.Nodding,for it would have been childish to cut him,I walked on quickly;but in a minute I felt a hand on my shoulder.

　　‘Youre in a great hurry’,he said cordially.

　　It was characteristic of him to display geniality with anyone who showed a disinclination to meet him,and the coolness of my greeting can have left him in little doubt of that.

　　‘I am’,I answered briefly.

　　‘Ill walk along with you’,he said.

　　‘Why?’I asked.

　　‘For the pleasure of your society.’

　　I did not answer,and he walked by my side silently.We continued thus for perhaps a quarter of a mile.I began to feel a little ridiculous.At last we passed a stationers,and it occurred to me that I might ......