{"id":"01KG6YHA8DKAHGJ9V74854R30Z","cid":"bafkreidycyemxtwkc5mfzsri54tk7cvknhonanek6adgg5kdsqrkt477vq","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":1798,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T07:57:55.409Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 8","source_file":"01KG6YDDF6PTWG4P7JTS5THSTD","start_line":1735,"text":"more; 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\nI believe that this wise and blessed frame of mind would have continued\r\nwith me, had it not been for the unsolicited and uncharitable remarks\r\nobtruded upon me by my professional friends who visited the rooms. But\r\nthus it often is, that the constant friction of illiberal minds wears\r\nout at last the best resolves of the more generous. Though to be sure,\r\nwhen I reflected upon it, it was not strange that people entering my\r\noffice should be struck by the peculiar aspect of the unaccountable\r\nBartleby, and so be tempted to throw out some sinister observations\r\nconcerning him. Sometimes an attorney, having business with me, and\r\ncalling at my office, and finding no one but the scrivener there, would\r\nundertake to obtain some sort of precise information from him touching\r\nmy whereabouts; but without heeding his idle talk, Bartleby would\r\nremain standing immovable in the middle of the room. So after\r\ncontemplating him in that position for a time, the attorney would\r\ndepart, no wiser than he came.\r\n\r\nAlso, when a reference was going on, and the room full of lawyers and\r\nwitnesses, and business driving fast, some deeply-occupied legal\r\ngentleman present, seeing Bartleby wholly unemployed, would request him\r\nto run round to his (the legal gentleman’s) office and fetch some\r\npapers for him. Thereupon, Bartleby would tranquilly decline, and yet\r\nremain idle as before. Then the lawyer would give a great stare, and\r\nturn to me. And what could I say? At last I was made aware that all\r\nthrough the circle of my professional acquaintance, a whisper of wonder\r\nwas running round, having reference to the strange creature I kept at\r\nmy office. This worried me very much. And as the idea came upon me of\r\nhis possibly turning out a long-lived man, and keep occupying my\r\nchambers, and denying my authority; and perplexing my visitors; and\r\nscandalizing my professional reputation; and casting a general gloom\r\nover the premises; keeping soul and body together to the last upon his\r\nsavings (for doubtless he spent but half a dime a day), and in the end\r\nperhaps outlive me, and claim possession of my office by right of his\r\nperpetual occupancy: as all these dark anticipations crowded upon me\r\nmore and more, and my friends continually intruded their relentless\r\nremarks upon the apparition in my room; a great change was wrought in\r\nme. I resolved to gather all my faculties together, and forever rid me\r\nof this intolerable incubus.\r\n\r\nEre revolving any complicated project, however, adapted to this end, I\r\nfirst simply suggested to Bartleby the propriety of his permanent\r\ndeparture. In a calm and serious tone, I commanded the idea to his\r\ncareful and mature consideration. But, having taken three days to\r\nmeditate upon it, he apprised me, that his original determination\r\nremained the same; in short, that he still preferred to abide with me.\r\n\r\nWhat shall I do? I now said to myself, buttoning up my coat to the last\r\nbutton. What shall I do? what ought I to do? what does conscience say I\r\n_should_ do with this man, or, rather, ghost. Rid myself of him, I\r\nmust; go, he shall. But how? You will not thrust him, the poor, pale,\r\npassive mortal—you will not thrust such a helpless creature out of your\r\ndoor? you will not dishonor yourself by such cruelty? No, I will not, I\r\ncannot do that. Rather would I let him live and die here, and then\r\nmason up his remains in the wall. What, then, will you do? For all your\r\ncoaxing, he will not budge. Bribes he leaves under your own\r\npaper-weight on your table; in short, it is quite plain that he prefers\r\nto cling to you.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 8"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG6YGB7ZZ4F251SWKNDDK547","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG6YDDF6PTWG4P7JTS5THSTD","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG6YCG626JN4FCG8QK17CQCF","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG6YH9P38MHRCFM5079NDXGY","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG6YHA8EMGGQHA1V5MCC7P18","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T07:57:57.389Z","ts":"2026-01-30T07:58:03.275Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}