MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-1

[1486] was only a makeshift that could not long content a man like me. [1487] So I
began to look for something else.

[1488] And the first thing I hit upon was
that I might do better to transfer the stones four by four, instead of
one by one, that is to say, during the sucking, to take the three stones
remaining in the right pocket of my greatcoat and replace them by the
four in the right pocket of my trousers, and these by the four in the

[1488] left pocket of my trousers, and these by the four in the left pocket of
my greatcoat, and finally these by the three in ^{[place = supralinear] [⁁]from} the right pocket of my
greatcoat, plus the one, as soon as I had finished sucking it, which was
in my mouth.

[1489] Yes, it seemed to me at first that by so doing I would
arrive at a better result. [1490] But on further reflection I had to change
my mind, ^{[place = margin right] [₰]} and confess that the circulation of the stones four by four
came to exactly the same thing as their circulation one by one.

[1491] For if
I was certain of finding each time, in the right pocket of my greatcoat,
four stones totally different from their immediate predecessors, the
possibility nevertheless remainee ^{[place = overwritten] d} of my always chancing on the same
stone, within each group of four, and consequently of my sucking, not the
sixteen turn and turn about as I wished, but in fact four only, always
the same, turn and turn about.

[1492] So I had to seek elsewhere than in the
mode of circulation. [1493] For no matter how I caused the stones to circulate,
I always ran the same risk. [1494] It was obvious that by increasing the number
of my pockets I was bound to increase my chances of enjoying my stones
in the way I planned, that is to say one after the other until their
number was exhausted.

[1495] Had I had eight pockets, for example, instead
of the four I did have, then ^{[place = supralinear] even} the most diabolical hazard could not have
prevented me from sucking at leat ^{[place = overwritten] s}t eight of my sixteen stones, turn and
turn about. [1496] The fact of the matter ^{[place = supralinear] [⁁]The truth is} is, ^{[place = margin right] [₰]} I should have needee ^{[place = overwritten] d} sixteen
pockets for all my anxiety to be dispelled ^{[place = supralinear] [⁁]in order to be quite easy in my mind.}. [1497] And for a long time I
could see no other conclusion ^{[place = inline] [!]} but ^{[place = margin left] [than?]} this, that short of have ^{[place = overwritten] i}ng sixteen