My tea and sugar and milk
(Swiss) come collectively to one penny a day. The loaf
is at twopence three-farthings, and I consume one a day.
My dinner consists in rotation of one third of a pound of
bacon, cooked over the gas (twopence halfpenny), or
two saveloys (twopence), or two pieces of fried fish
(twopence), or a quarter of an eightpenny tin of Chicago
beef (twopence). Any one of these, with a due allowance
of bread and water, makes a most substantial meal.
Butter I have discarded for the present. My actual board
therefore comes well under sixpence a day, but I am a
patron of literature to the extent of a halfpenny a day,
which I expend upon an evening paper; for with events
hurrying on like this in Alexandria, I cannot bear to be
without the news. Still I often reproach myself with
that halfpenny, for if I went out in the evening and
looked at the placards I might save it, and yet have a
general idea of what is going on. Of course, a halfpenny
a night sounds nothing, but think of a shilling a month!
Perhaps you picture me as bloodless and pulled down on
this diet! I am thin, it is true, but I never felt more
fit in my life. So full of energy am I that I start off
sometimes at ten at night and walk hard until two or
three in the morning. I dare not go out during the day,
you see, for fear that I should miss a patient. I have
asked my mother not to send little Paul down yet
until I see my way more clearly.
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