In Great Titchfield-street Mr Norrell put down his fork and dabbed at his lips with his napkin. “Of course,” he said, “he must apply himself. I urged him to apply himself.”

Strange in Charterhouse-square said, “He told me to apply myself. – To what? I asked. – To reading he said. I was never more astonished in my life. I was very near asking him what I was supposed to read when he has all books.”

The next day Strange told Arabella that they could go back to Shropshire any time she pleased – he did not think that there was any thing to keep them in London. He also said that he had resolved to think no more about Mr Norrell. In this he was not entirely successful for several times in the next few days Arabella found herself listening to a long recital of all Mr Norrell’s faults, both professional and personal.

Meanwhile in Hanover-square Mr Norrell constantly inquired of Mr Drawlight what Mr Strange was doing, whom he visited, and what people thought of him.

Mr Lascelles and Mr Drawlight were a little alarmed at this development. For more than a year now they had enjoyed no small degree of influence over the magician and, as his friends, they were courted by admirals, generals, politicians, any one in fact who wished to know Mr Norrell’s opinion upon this, or wished Mr Norrell to do that. The thought of another magician who might attach himself to Mr Norrell by closer ties than Drawlight or Lascelles could ever hope to forge, who might take upon himself the task of advising Mr Norrell was very disagreeable. Mr Drawlight told Mr Lascelles that Norrell should be discouraged from thinking of the Shropshire magician and, though Mr Lascelles’s whimsical nature never permitted him to agree outright with any one, there is little doubt that he thought the same.

But three or four days after Mr Strange’s visit, Mr Norrell said, “I have been considering the matter very carefully and I believe that something ought to be done for Mr Strange. He complained of his lack of materials. Well, of course, I can see that that might … In short I have decided to make him a present of a book.”

“But, sir!” cried Drawlight. “Your precious books! You must not give them away to other people – especially to other magicians who may not use them as wisely as yourself!”

“Oh!” said Mr Norrell. “I do not mean one of my own books. I fear I could not spare a single one. No, I have purchased a volume from Edwards and Skittering to give Mr Strange. The choice was, I confess, a difficult one. There are many books which, to be perfectly frank, I would not be quite comfortable in recommending to Mr Strange yet; he is not ready for them. He would imbibe all sorts of wrong ideas from them. This book,” Mr Norrell looked at it in an anxious sort of way, “has many faults – I fear it has a great many. Mr Strange will learn no actual magic from it. But it has a great deal to say on the subjects of diligent research and the perils of committing oneself to paper too soon – lessons which I hope Mr Strange may take to heart.”