Page:Journey Round my Room by Xiavier de Maistre trans. Henry Attwell.djvu/29

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IV.

Latitude and Topography.

My room is situated in latitude 48° east, according to the measurement of Father Beccaria. It lies east and west, and, if you keep very close to the wall, forms a parallelogram of thirty-six steps round. My journey will, however, be longer than this ; for I shall traverse my room up and down and across, without rule or plan. I shall even zig-zag about, following, if needs be, every possible geometrical line. I am no admirer of people who are such masters of their every step and every idea that they can say: "To-morrow I shall make three calls, write four letters, and finish this or that work." So open is my soul to all sorts of ideas, tastes, and feel-