{"id":"01KG6YH9P38MHRCFM5079NDXGY","cid":"bafkreiequa4ackawyw4g4m765afnzao7acasqe3inqp7fefurx76dy5hb4","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":1741,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T07:57:55.409Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 7","source_file":"01KG6YDDF6PTWG4P7JTS5THSTD","start_line":1691,"text":"the public street, or at a private residence, it would not have\r\nterminated as it did. It was the circumstance of being alone in a\r\nsolitary office, up stairs, of a building entirely unhallowed by\r\nhumanizing domestic associations—an uncarpeted office, doubtless, of a\r\ndusty, haggard sort of appearance—this it must have been, which greatly\r\nhelped to enhance the irritable desperation of the hapless Colt.\r\n\r\nBut when this old Adam of resentment rose in me and tempted me\r\nconcerning Bartleby, I grappled him and threw him. How? Why, simply by\r\nrecalling the divine injunction: “A new commandment give I unto you,\r\nthat ye love one another.” Yes, this it was that saved me. Aside from\r\nhigher considerations, charity often operates as a vastly wise and\r\nprudent principle—a great safeguard to its possessor. Men have\r\ncommitted murder for jealousy’s sake, and anger’s sake, and hatred’s\r\nsake, and selfishness’ sake, and spiritual pride’s sake; but no man,\r\nthat ever I heard of, ever committed a diabolical murder for sweet\r\ncharity’s sake. Mere self-interest, then, if no better motive can be\r\nenlisted, should, especially with high-tempered men, prompt all beings\r\nto charity and philanthropy. At any rate, upon the occasion in\r\nquestion, I strove to drown my exasperated feelings towards the\r\nscrivener by benevolently construing his conduct.—Poor fellow, poor\r\nfellow! thought I, he don’t mean anything; and besides, he has seen\r\nhard times, and ought to be indulged.\r\n\r\nI endeavored, also, immediately to occupy myself, and at the same time\r\nto comfort my despondency. I tried to fancy, that in the course of the\r\nmorning, at such time as might prove agreeable to him, Bartleby, of his\r\nown free accord, would emerge from his hermitage and take up some\r\ndecided line of march in the direction of the door. But no. Half-past\r\ntwelve o’clock came; Turkey began to glow in the face, overturn his\r\ninkstand, and become generally obstreperous; Nippers abated down into\r\nquietude and courtesy; Ginger Nut munched his noon apple; and Bartleby\r\nremained standing at his window in one of his profoundest dead-wall\r\nreveries. Will it be credited? Ought I to acknowledge it? That\r\nafternoon I left the office without saying one further word to him.\r\n\r\nSome days now passed, during which, at leisure intervals I looked a\r\nlittle into “Edwards on the Will,” and “Priestley on Necessity.” Under\r\nthe circumstances, those books induced a salutary feeling. Gradually I\r\nslid into the persuasion that these troubles of mine, touching the\r\nscrivener, had been all predestinated from eternity, and Bartleby was\r\nbilleted upon me for some mysterious purpose of an allwise Providence,\r\nwhich it was not for a mere mortal like me to fathom. Yes, Bartleby,\r\nstay there behind your screen, thought I; I shall persecute you no\r\nmore; you are harmless and noiseless as any of these old chairs; in\r\nshort, I never feel so private as when I know you are here. At last I\r\nsee it, I feel it; I penetrate to the predestinated purpose of my life.\r\nI am content. Others may have loftier parts to enact; but my mission in\r\nthis world, Bartleby, is to furnish you with office-room for such\r\nperiod as you may see fit to remain.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 7"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG6YGB7ZZ4F251SWKNDDK547","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG6YDDF6PTWG4P7JTS5THSTD","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG6YCG626JN4FCG8QK17CQCF","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG6YH9P3MNK5VRGY6X4YY7H9","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG6YHA8DKAHGJ9V74854R30Z","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T07:57:56.803Z","ts":"2026-01-30T07:58:03.006Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}