st. ives-第32章

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until　the　hour　of　departure　returned；　and　were　only　properly　

awakened　by　the　first　jolt　of　the　renewed　journey。　　There　were　

interruptions；　at　times；　that　we　hailed　as　alleviations。　　At　times　

the　cart　was　bogged；　once　it　was　upset；　and　we　must　alight　and　lend　

the　driver　the　assistance　of　our　arms；　at　times；　too　（as　on　the　

occasion　when　I　had　first　encountered　it）；　the　horses　gave　out；　and　

we　had　to　trail　alongside　in　mud　or　frost　until　the　first　peep　of　

daylight；　or　the　approach　to　a　hamlet　or　a　high　road；　bade　us　

disappear　like　ghosts　into　our　prison。



The　main　roads　of　England　are　incomparable　for　excellence；　of　a　

beautiful　smoothness；　very　ingeniously　laid　down；　and　so　well　kept　

that　in　most　weathers　you　could　take　your　dinner　off　any　part　of　

them　without　distaste。　　On　them；　to　the　note　of　the　bugle；　the　mail　

did　its　sixty　miles　a　day；　innumerable　chaises　whisked　after　the　

bobbing　postboys；　or　some　young　blood　would　flit　by　in　a　curricle　

and　tandem；　to　the　vast　delight　and　danger　of　the　lieges。　　On　them；　

the　slow…pacing　waggons　made　a　music　of　bells；　and　all　day　long　the　

travellers　on　horse…back　and　the　travellers　on　foot　（like　happy　Mr。　

St。　Ives　so　little　a　while　before！）　kept　coming　and　going；　and　

baiting　and　gaping　at　each　other；　as　though　a　fair　were　due；　and　

they　were　gathering　to　it　from　all　England。　　No；　nowhere　in　the　

world　is　travel　so　great　a　pleasure　as　in　that　country。　　But　

unhappily　our　one　need　was　to　be　secret；　and　all　this　rapid　and　

animated　picture　of　the　road　swept　quite　apart　from　us；　as　we　

lumbered　up　hill　and　down　dale；　under　hedge　and　over　stone；　among　

circuitous　byways。　　Only　twice　did　I　receive；　as　it　were；　a　whiff　

of　the　highway。　　The　first　reached　my　ears　alone。　　I　might　have　

been　anywhere。　　I　only　knew　I　was　walking　in　the　dark　night　and　

among　ruts；　when　I　heard　very　far　off；　over　the　silent　country　that　

surrounded　us；　the　guard's　horn　wailing　its　signal　to　the　next　

post…house　for　a　change　of　horses。　　It　was　like　the　voice　of　the　

day　heard　in　darkness；　a　voice　of　the　world　heard　in　prison；　the　

note　of　a　cock　crowing　in　the　mid…seas　…　in　short；　I　cannot　tell　

you　what　it　was　like；　you　will　have　to　fancy　for　yourself　…　but　I　

could　have　wept　to　hear　it。　　Once　we　were　belated：　the　cattle　could　

hardly　crawl；　the　day　was　at　hand；　it　was　a　nipping；　rigorous　

morning；　King　was　lashing　his　horses；　I　was　giving　an　arm　to　the　

old　Colonel；　and　the　Major　was　coughing　in　our　rear。　　I　must　

suppose　that　King　was　a　thought　careless；　being　nearly　in　

desperation　about　his　team；　and；　in　spite　of　the　cold　morning；　

breathing　hot　with　his　exertions。　　We　came；　at　last；　a　little　

before　sunrise　to　the　summit　of　a　hill；　and　saw　the　high…road　

passing　at　right　angles　through　an　open　country　of　meadows　and　

hedgerow　pollards；　and　not　only　the　York　mail；　speeding　smoothly　at　

the　gallop　of　the　four　horses；　but　a　post…chaise　besides；　with　the　

post…boy　titupping　briskly；　and　the　traveller　himself　putting　his　

head　out　of　the　window；　but　whether　to　breathe　the　dawn；　or　the　

better　to　observe　the　passage　of　the　mail；　I　do　not　know。　　So　that　

we　enjoyed　for　an　instant　a　picture　of　free　life　on　the　road；　in　

its　most　luxurious　forms　of　despatch　and　comfort。　　And　thereafter；　

with　a　poignant　feeling　of　contrast　in　our　hearts；　we　must　mount　

again　into　our　wheeled　dungeon。



We　came　to　our　stages　at　all　sorts　of　odd　hours；　and　they　were　in　

all　kinds　of　odd　places。　　I　may　say　at　once　that　my　first　

experience　was　my　best。　　Nowhere　again　were　we　so　well　entertained　

as　at　Burchell　Fenn's。　　And　this；　I　suppose；　was　natural；　and　

indeed　inevitable；　in　so　long　and　secret　a　journey。　　The　first　

stop；　we　lay　six　hours　in　a　barn　standing　by　itself　in　a　poor；　

marshy　orchard；　and　packed　with　hay；　to　make　it　more　attractive；　we　

were　told　it　had　been　the　scene　of　an　abominable　murder；　and　was　

now　haunted。　　But　the　day　was　beginning　to　break；　and　our　fatigue　

was　too　extreme　for　visionary　terrors。　　The　second　or　third；　we　

alighted　on　a　barren　heath　about　midnight；　built　a　fire　to　warm　us　

under　the　shelter　of　some　thorns；　supped　like　beggars　on　bread　and　

a　piece　of　cold　bacon；　and　slept　like　gipsies　with　our　feet　to　the　

fire。　　In　the　meanwhile；　King　was　gone　with　the　cart；　I　know　not　

where；　to　get　a　change　of　horses；　and　it　was　late　in　the　dark　

morning　when　he　returned　and　we　were　able　to　resume　our　journey。　　

In　the　middle　of　another　night；　we　came　to　a　stop　by　an　ancient；　

whitewashed　cottage　of　two　stories；　a　privet　hedge　surrounded　it；　

the　frosty　moon　shone　blankly　on　the　upper　windows；　but　through　

those　of　the　kitchen　the　firelight　was　seen　glinting　on　the　roof　

and　reflected　from　the　dishes　on　the　wall。　　Here；　after　much　

hammering　on　the　door；　King　managed　to　arouse　an　old　crone　from　the　

chimney…corner　chair；　where　she　had　been　dozing　in　the　watch；　and　

we　were　had　in；　and　entertained　with　a　dish　of　hot　tea。　　This　old　

lady　was　an　aunt　of　Burchell　Fenn's　…　and　an　unwilling　partner　in　

his　dangerous　trade。　　Though　the　house　stood　solitary；　and　the　hour　

was　an　unlikely　one　for　any　passenger　upon　the　road；　King　and　she　

conversed　in　whispers　only。　　There　was　something　dismal；　something　

of　the　sick…room；　in　this　perpetual；　guarded　sibilation。　　The　

apprehensions　of　our　hostess　insensibly　communicated　themselves　to　

every　one　present。　　We　ate　like　mice　in　a　cat's　ear；　if　one　of　us　

jingled　a　teaspoon；　all　would　start；　and　when　the　hour　came　to　take　

the　road　again；　we　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief；　and　climbed　to　our　

places　in　the　covered　cart　with　a　positive　sense　of　escape。　　The　

most　of　our　meals；　however；　were　taken　boldly　at　hedgerow　

alehouses；　usually　at　untimely　hours　of　the　day；　when　the　clients　

were　in　the　field　or　the　farmyard　at　labour。　　I　shall　have　to　tell　

presently　of　our　last　experience　of　the　sort；　and　how　unfortunately　

it　miscarried；　but　as　that　was　the　signal　for　my　separation　from　my　

fellow…travellers；　I　must　first　finish　with　them。



I　had　never　any　occasion　to　waver　in　my　first　judgment　of　the　

Colonel。　　The　old　gentleman　seemed　to　me；　and　still　seems　in　the　

retrospect；　the　salt　of　the　earth。　　I　had　occasion　to　see　him　in　

the　extremes　of　hardship；　hunger　and　cold；　he　was　dying；　and　he　

looked　it；　and　yet　I　cannot　remember　any　hasty；　harsh；　or　impatient　

word　to　have　fallen　from　his　lips。　　On　the　contrary；　he　ever　showed　

himself　careful　to　please；　and　even　if　he　rambled　in　his　talk；　

rambled　always　gently　…　like　a　humane；　half…witted　old　hero；　true　

to　his　colours　to　the　last。　　I　would　not　dare　to　say　how　often　he　

awoke　suddenly　from　a　lethargy；　and　told　us　again；　as　though　we　had　

never　heard　it；　the　story　of　how　he　had　earned　the　cross；　how　it　

had　been　given　him　by　the　hand　of　the　Emperor；　and　of　the　innocent　

…　and；　indeed；　foolish　…　sayings　of　his　daughter　when　he　returned　

with　it　on　his　bosom。　　He　had　another　anecdote　which　he　was　very　

apt　to　give；　by　way　of　a　rebuke；　when　the　Major　wearied　us　beyond　

endurance　with　dispraises　of　the　English。　　This　was　an　account　of　

the　BRAVES　GENS　with　whom　he　had　been　boarding。　　True　enough；　he　

was　a　man　so　simple　and　grateful　by　nature；　that　the　most　common　

civilities　were　able　to　touch　him　to　the　heart；　and　would　remain　

written　in　his　memory；　but　from　a　thousand　inconsiderable　but　

conclusive　indications；　I　gathered　that　this　family　had　really　

loved　him；　and　loaded　him　with　kindness。　　They　made　a　fire　in　his　

bedroom；　which　the　sons　and　daughters　tended　with　their　own　hands；　

letters　from　France　were　looked　for　with　scarce　more　eagerness　by　

himself　than　by　these　alien　sympathisers；　when　they　came；　he　would　

read　them　aloud　in　the　parlour　to　the　assembled　family；　translating　

as　he　went。　　The　Colonel's　English　was　elementary；　his　daughter　not　

in　the　least　likely　to　be　an　amusing　correspondent；　and；　as　I　

conceived　these　scenes　in　the　parlour；　I　felt　sure　the　in