I
Therearealwaystwowaysoflookingatathing，frequentlytherearesixorseven;buttwowaysoflookingataLondonfogarequiteenough。Whenitisthickandyellowinthestreetsandstingsaman’sthroatandlungsashebreathesit，anawakeningintheearlymorningiseitheranunearthlyandgrewsome，oramysteriouslyenclosing，secluding，andcomfortablething。Ifoneawakensinahealthybody，andwithaclearbrainrestedbynormalsleepandretainingmemoriesofanormallyagreeableyesterday，onemayliewatchingthehousemaidbuildingthefire;
andaftershehassweptthehearthandputthingsinorder，liewatchingtheflamesoftheblazingandcracklingwoodcatchthecoalsandsetthemblazingalso，anddancingmerrilyandfillingcornerswithaglow;andinsolyingandrealizingthatleapinglightandwarmthandasoftbedaregoodthings，onemayturnoveronone’sback，stretchingarmsandlegsluxuriously，drawingdeepbreathsandsmilingataknowledgeofthefogoutsidewhichmakeshalf—pasteighto’clockonaDecembermorningasdarkastwelveo’clockonaDecembernight。Undersuchconditionsthesoft，thick，yellowgloomhasitspicturesqueandevenhumorousaspect。
Onefeelsenclosedbyitatoncefantasticallyandcosily，andisinclinedtorevelinimaginingsofthepictureoutside，itsRembrandtlightsandorangeyellows，thehalosaboutthestreet—lamps，theilluminationofshop—
windows，theflareoftorchesstuckupovercosterbarrowsandcoffee—
stands，theshadowsonthefacesofthemenandwomensellingandbuyingbesidethem。Refreshedbysleepandcomfortandsurroundedbylight，warmth，andgoodcheer，itiseasytofacetheday，toconfrontgoingoutintothefogandfeelingasortofpleasureinitsmysteries。Thisisonewayoflookingatit，butonlyone。
Theotherwayismarkedbyenormousdifferences。
Aman——hehadgivenhisnametothepeopleofthehouseasAntonyDart——awakenedinathird—storybedroominalodging—houseinapoorstreetinLondon，andashisconsciousnessreturnedtohim，itsslowandreluctantmovingsconfrontedthesecondpointofview——markedbyenormousdifferences。Hehadnotslepttwoconsecutivehoursthroughthenight，andwhenhehadslepthehadbeentormentedbydrearydreams，whichweremorefullofmiserybecauseoftheirelusivevagueness，whichkepthistorturedbrainonawearyingstrainofefforttoreachsomedefiniteunderstandingofthem。Yetwhenheawakenedtheconsciousnessofbeingagainalivewasanawfulthing。
Ifthedreamscouldhavefadedintoblanknessandallhavepassedwiththepassingofthenight，howhecouldhavethankedwhatevergodstherebe！Onlynottoawake——
onlynottoawake！Buthehadawakened。
Theclockstrucknineashedidso，consequentlyheknewthehour。
Thelodging—houseslaveyhadarousedhimbycomingtolightthefire。Shehadsethercandleonthehearthanddoneherworkasstealthilyaspossible，buthehadbeendisturbed，thoughhehadmadeadesperateefforttostrugglebackintosleep。Thatwasnouse——nouse。Hewasawakeandhewasinthemidstofitallagain。
Withoutthesenseofluxuriouscomfortheopenedhiseyesandturneduponhisback，throwingouthisarmsflatly，sothathelayasintheformofacross，inheavywearinessandanguish。Formonthshehadawakenedeachmorningaftersuchanightandhadsolainlikeacrucifiedthing。
Ashewatchedthepainfulflickeringofthedampandsmokingwoodandcoalherememberedthisandthoughtthattherehadbeenalifetimeofsuchawakenings，notknowingthatthemorbidnessofafaggedbrainblottedoutthememoryofmorenormaldaysandtoldhimfantasticlieswhichwerebutahundredthparttruth。Hecouldseeonlythehundredthparttruth，anditassumedproportionssohugethathecouldseenothingelse。Insuchastatethehumanbrainisaninfernalmachineanditsworkingscanonlybeconqueredifthemortalthingwhichliveswithit——dayandnight，nightandday——haslearnedtoseparateitscontrollablefromitsseeminglyuncontrollableatoms，andcansilenceitsclamoronitswaytomadness。
AntonyDarthadnotlearnedthisthingandtheclamorhadhaditshideouswaywithhim。Physicianswouldhavegivenanametohismentalandphysicalcondition。Hehadheardthesenamesoften——appliedtomenthestrainofwhoseliveshadbeenlikethestrainofhisown，andhadleftthemasithadlefthim——
jaded，joyless，breakingthings。Someofthemhadbeenbrokenandhaddiedorweredraggingoutbruisedandtormenteddaysintheirownhomesorinmad—houses。Healwaysshudderedwhenheheardtheirnames，andrebelledwithsickfearagainstthemerementionofthem。Theyhadworkedashehadworked，theyhadbeenstrickenwiththedeliriumofaccumulation——accumulation——
ashehadbeen。Theyhadbeencaughtintherushandswirlofthegreatmaelstrom，andhadbeenborneroundandroundinit，untilhavinggraspedeverycovetedthingtossinguponitscirclingwaters，theythemselveshadbeenflungupontheshorewithbothhandsfull，therocksaboutthemstrewnwithrichpossessions，whiletheylayprostrateandgazedatalllifehadbroughtwithdull，hopeless，anguishedeyes。Heknew——iftheworstcametotheworst——
whatwouldbesaidofhim，becausehehadhearditsaidofothers。\"Heworkedtoohard——heworkedtoohard。\"Hewassickofhearingit。
Whatwaswrongwiththeworld——
whatwaswrongwithman，asMan——ifworkcouldbreakhimlikethis？
IfonebelievedinDeity，thelivingcreatureItbreathedintobeingmustbeaperfectthing——notonetobewearied，sickened，torturedbythelifeItsbreathinghadcreated。A
meremanwoulddisdaintobuildathingsopoorandincomplete。
Amerehumanengineerwhoconstructedanenginewhoseworkingswereperpetuallyatfault——whichwentwrongwhencalledupontodothelaboritwasmadefor——whowouldnotscoffatitandcastitasideasapieceofworthlessbungling？
\"Somethingiswrong，\"hemut—
tered，lyingflatuponhiscrossandstaringattheyellowhazewhichhadcreptthroughcranniesinwindow—
sashesintotheroom。\"Someoneiswrong。IsitI——orYou？\"
Histhinlipsdrewthemselvesbackagainsthisteethinamirthlesssmilewhichwaslikeagrin。
\"Yes，\"hesaid。\"Iamprettyfargone。IambeginningtotalktomyselfaboutGod。BryandiditjustbeforehewastakentoDr。Hewletts’
placeandcuthisthroat。\"
Hehadnotledaspeciallyevillife;hehadnotbrokenlaws，butthesubjectofDeitywasnotonewhichhisschemeofexistencehadincluded。Whenithadhauntedhimoflatehehadfeltitanuntowardandmorbidsign。Thethinghaddrawnhim——drawnhim;hehadcomplainedagainstit，hehadargued，sometimesheknew——shuddering——
thathehadraved。Somethinghadseemedtostandasideandwatchhisbeingandhisthinking。
Somethingwhichfilledtheuniversehadseemedtowait，andtohavewaitedthroughalltheeternalages，toseewhathe——oneman——woulddo。Attimesagreatappalledwonderhadsweptoverhimathisrealizationthathehadneverknownorthoughtofitbefore。Ithadbeentherealways——throughalltheagesthathadpassed。Andsometimes——
onceortwice——thethoughthadinsomeunspeakable，untranslatablewaybroughthimamoment’scalm。
Butatothertimeshehadsaidtohimself——withashiveringsoulcoweringwithinhim——thatthiswasonlypartofitallandwasabeginning，perhaps，ofreligiousmonomania。
Duringthelastweekhehadknownwhathewasgoingtodo——
hehadmadeuphismind。Thisabjecthorrorthroughwhichothershadletthemselvesbedraggedtomadnessordeathhewouldnotendure。Theendshouldcomequickly，andnooneshouldbesmittenaghastbyseeingorknowinghowitcame。
InthecrowdedshabbierstreetsofLondontherewerelodging—houseswhereone，bytakingprecautions，couldendhislifeinsuchamanneraswouldblothimoutofanyworldwheresuchamanashimselfhadbeenknown。Apistol，properlymanaged，wouldobliterateresemblancetoanyhumanthing。Monthsagothroughchancetalkhehadheardhowitcouldbedone——anddonequickly。
Hecouldleaveamisleadingletter。
Hehadplannedwhatitshouldbe——
thestoryitshouldtellofadisheartenedmediocreventurerofhispoorallreturningbankruptandhumiliatedfromAustralia，endingexistenceinsuchpennilessnessthattheparishmustgivehimapauper’sgrave。Whatdiditmatterwhereamanlay，sothatheslept——slept——
slept？Surelywithone’sbrainsscatteredonewouldsleepsoundlyanywhere。
Hehadcometothehousethenightbefore，dressedshabbilywiththepitiablerespectabilityofadefeatedman。Hehadentereddroopinglywithbentshouldersandhopelesshangofhead。Inhisownspherehewasamanwhoheldhimselfwell。Hehadletfallafewdispiritedsentenceswhenhehadengagedhisbackroomfromthewomanofthehouse，andshehadrecognizedhimasoneoftheluckless。
Infact，shehadhesitatedamomentbeforehisunreliablelookuntilhehadtakenoutmoneyfromhispocketandpaidhisrentforaweekinadvance。Shewouldhavethatatleastforhertrouble，hehadsaidtohimself。Heshouldnotoccupytheroomafterto—morrow。Inhisownhomesomedayswouldpassbeforehishouseholdbegantomakeinquiries。HehadtoldhisservantsthathewasgoingovertoParisforachange。Hewouldbesafeanddeepinhispauper’sgraveaweekbeforetheyaskedeachotherwhytheydidnothearfromhim。Allwasinorder。Oneofthemockingagonieswasthatlivingwasdonefor。Hehadceasedtolive。Work，pleasure，sun，moon，andstarshadlosttheirmeaning。Hestoodandlookedatthemostradiantlovelinessoflandandskyandseaandfeltnothing。
Successbroughtgreaterwealtheachdaywithoutstirringapulseofpleasure，evenintriumph。Therewasnothingleftbuttheawfuldaysandawfulnightstowhichheknewphysicianscouldgivetheirscientificname，buthadnohealingfor。Hehadgonefarenough。Hewouldgonofarther。To—morrowitwouldhavebeenoverlonghours。Andtherewouldhavebeennopublicdeclaimingoverthehumiliatingpitifulnessofhisend。Andwhatdiditmatter？
Howthickthefogwasoutside——
thickenoughforamantolosehimselfinit。Theyellowmistwhichhadcreptinunderthedoorsandthroughthecrevicesofthewindow—
sashesgaveaghostlylooktotheroom——aghastly，abnormallook，hesaidtohimself。Thefirewassmoulderinginsteadofblazing。Butwhatdiditmatter？Hewasgoingout。Hehadnotboughtthepistollastnight——likeafool。Somehowhisbrainhadbeensotiredandcrowdedthathehadforgotten。
\"Forgotten。\"Hementallyrepeatedthewordashegotoutofbed。
Bythistimeto—morrowheshouldhaveforgotteneverything。THIS
TIMETO—MORROW。Hismindrepeatedthatalso，ashebegantodresshimself。Whereshouldhebe？Shouldhebeanywhere？Supposeheawakenedagain——tosomethingasbadasthis？Howdidamangetoutofhisbody？Afterthecrashandshockwhathappened？DidonefindoneselfstandingbesidetheThingandlookingdownatit？Itwouldnotbeagoodthingtostandandlookdownon——evenforthatwhichhaddesertedit。Buthavingtornoneselfloosefromitanditsdevilishachesandpains，onewouldnotcare——onewouldseehowlittleitallmattered。Anythingelsemustbebetterthanthis——thethingforwhichtherewasascientificnamebutnohealing。Hehadtakenallthedrugs，hehadobeyedallthemedicalorders，andherehewasafterthatlasthellofanight——dressinghimselfinabackbedroomofacheaplodging—housetogooutandbuyapistolinthisdamnedfog。
Helaughedatthelastphraseofhisthought，thelaughwhichwasamirthlessgrin。
\"IamthinkingofitasifIwasafraidoftakingcold，\"hesaid。
\"Andto—morrow——！\"
TherewouldbenoTo—morrow。
To—morrowswereatanend。Nomorenights——nomoredays——nomoremorrows。
Hefinisheddressing，puttingonhisdiscriminatinglychosenshabby—
genteelclotheswithacarefortheeffectheintendedthemtoproduce。
Thecollarandcuffsofhisshirtwerefrayedandyellow，andhefastenedhiscollarwithapinandtiedhiswornnecktiecarelessly。Hisovercoatwasbeginningtowearagreenishshadeandlookthreadbare，sowashishat。
Whenhistoiletwascompletehelookedathimselfinthecrackedandhazyglass，bendingforwardtoscrutinizehisunshavenfaceundertheshadowofthedingyhat。
\"Itisallright，\"hemuttered。
\"ItisnotfartothepawnshopwhereIsawit。\"
Thestillnessoftheroomasheturnedtogooutwasuncanny。Asitwasabackroom，therewasnostreetbelowfromwhichcouldarisesoundsofpassingvehicles，andthethicknessofthefogmuffledsuchsoundasmighthavefloatedfromthefront。Hestoppedhalf—waytothedoor，notknowingwhy，andlistened。
Towhat——forwhat？Thesilenceseemedtospreadthroughallthehouse——outintothestreets——
throughallLondon——throughalltheworld，andhetostandinthemidstofit，amanonthewaytoDeath——withnoTo—morrow。
Whatdiditmean？Itseemedtomeansomething。Theworldwithdrawn——lifewithdrawn——soundwithdrawn——breathwithdrawn。Hestoodandwaited。Perhapsthiswasoneofthesymptomsofthemorbidthingforwhichtherewasthatname。Ifsohehadbettergetawayquicklyandhaveitover，lesthebefoundwanderingaboutnotknowing——notknowing。Butnowheknew——theSilence。Hewaited——waitedandtriedtohear，asifsomethingwascallinghim——callingwithoutsound。Itreturnedtohim——thethoughtofThatwhichhadwaitedthroughalltheagestoseewhathe——oneman——woulddo。
Hehadneverexactlypitiedhimselfbefore——hedidnotknowthathepitiedhimselfnow，buthewasamangoingtohisdeath，andalight，coldsweatbrokeoutonhimanditseemedasifitwasnothewhodidit，butsomeother——heflungouthisarmsandcriedaloudwordshehadnotknownhewasgoingtospeak。
\"Lord！Lord！WhatshallIdotobesaved？\"
ButtheSilencegavenoanswer。
ItwastheSilencestill。
Andafterstandingafewmomentspanting，hisarmsfellandhisheaddropped，andturningthehandleofthedoor，hewentouttobuythepistol。
II
Ashewentdownthenarrowstaircase，coveredwithitsdingyandthreadbarecarpet，hefoundthehousesofullofdirtyyellowhazethatherealizedthatthefogmustbeoftheextraordinaryoneswhicharerememberedinafter—yearsasabnormalspecimensoftheirkind。Herecalledthattherehadbeenoneofthesortthreeyearsbefore，andthattrafficandbusinesshadbeenalmostentirelystoppedbyit，thataccidentshadhappenedinthestreets，andthatpeoplehavinglosttheirwayhadwanderedaboutturningcornersuntiltheyfoundthemselvesfarfromtheirintendeddestinationsandobligedtotakerefugeinhotelsorthehousesofhospitablestrangers。Curiousincidentshadoccurredandoddstoriesweretoldbythosewhohadfeltthemselvesobligedbycircumstancestogooutintothebafflinggloom。
Heguessedthatsomethingofalikenaturehadfallenuponthetownagain。Thegas—lightonthelandingsandinthemelancholyhallburnedfeebly——sofeeblythatonegotbutavagueviewofthericketyhat—standandtheshabbyovercoatsandhead—gearhanginguponit。Itwaswellforhimthathehadbutacornerorsototurnbeforehereachedthepawnshopinwhosewindowhehadseenthepistolheintendedtobuy。
Whenheopenedthestreet—doorhesawthatthefogwas，uponthewhole，perhapsevenheavierandmoreobscuring，ifpossible，thantheonesowellremembered。Hecouldnotseeanythingthreefeetbeforehim，hecouldnotseewithdistinctnessanythingtwofeetahead。Thesensationofsteppingforwardwasuncertainandmysteriousenoughtobealmostappalling。Amannotsufficientlycautiousmighthavefallenintoanyopenholeinhispath。AntonyDartkeptascloselyaspossibletothesidesofthehouses。Itwouldhavebeeneasytowalkoffthepavementintothemiddleofthestreetbutfortheedgesofthecurbandthestepdownwardfromitslevel。Traffichadalmostabsolutelyceased，thoughinthemoreimportantstreetslink—
boysweremakingeffortstoguidemenorfour—wheelersslowlyalong。
Theblindfeelingofthethingwasratherawful。Thoughbutfewpedestrianswereout，Dartfoundhimselfonceortwicebrushingagainstorcomingintoforciblecontactwithmenfeelingtheirwayaboutlikehimself。
\"Oneturntotheright，\"herepeatedmentally，\"twototheleft，andtheplaceisatthecorneroftheothersideofthestreet。\"
Hemanagedtoreachitatlast，butithadbeenaslow，andtherefore，longjourney。Allthegas—jetsthelittleshopownedwerelighted，butevenundertheirflarethearticlesinthewindow——theoneortwooncecheaplygaudydressesandshawlsandmen’sgarments——hunginthehazelikethedreary，danglingghostsofthingsrecentlyexecuted。
Amongwatchesandforlornpiecesofold—fashionedjewelryandoddsandends，thepistollayagainstthefoldsofadirtygauzeshawl。Thereitwas。Itwouldhavebeenannoyingifsomeoneelsehadbeenbeforehandandhadboughtit。