the stage coach-第2章

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order；　and　the　glossy　branches　of　holly；　with　their　bright…red

berries；　began　to　appear　at　the　windows。　The　scene　brought　to　mind

an　old　writer's　account　of　Christmas　preparations：…　〃Now　capons　and

hens；　beside　turkeys；　geese；　and　ducks；　with　beef　and　mutton…　must　all

die…　for　in　twelve　days　a　multitude　of　people　will　not　be　fed　with　a

little。　Now　plums　and　spice；　sugar　and　honey；　square　it　among　pies　and

broth。　Now　or　never　must　music　be　in　tune；　for　the　youth　must　dance

and　sing　to　get　them　a　heat；　while　the　aged　sit　by　the　fire。　The

country　maid　leaves　half　her　market；　and　must　be　sent　again；　if　she

forgets　a　pack　of　cards　on　Christmas　eve。　Great　is　the　contention　of

holly　and　ivy；　whether　master　or　dame　wears　the　breeches。　Dice　and

cards　benefit　the　butler；　and　if　the　cook　do　not　lack　wit；　he　will

sweetly　lick　his　fingers。〃

　　I　was　roused　from　this　fit　of　luxurious　meditation；　by　a　shout

from　my　little　travelling　companions。　They　had　been　looking　out　of　the

coach　windows　for　the　last　few　miles；　recognizing　every　tree　and

cottage　as　they　approached　home；　and　now　there　was　a　general　burst

of　joy…　〃There's　John！　and　there's　old　Carlo！　and　there's　Bantam！〃

cried　the　happy　little　rogues；　clapping　their　hands。

　　At　the　end　of　a　lane　there　was　an　old　sober…looking　servant　in

livery；　waiting　for　them；　he　was　accompanied　by　a　superannuated

pointer；　and　by　the　redoubtable　Bantam；　a　little　old　rat　of　a　pony；

with　a　shaggy　mane　and　long　rusty　tail；　who　stood　dozing　quietly　by

the　road…side；　little　dreaming　of　the　bustling　times　that　awaited　him。

　　I　was　pleased　to　see　the　fondness　with　which　the　little　fellows

leaped　about　the　steady　old　footman；　and　hugged　the　pointer；　who

wriggled　his　whole　body　for　joy。　But　Bantam　was　the　great　object　of

interest；　all　wanted　to　mount　at　once；　and　it　was　with　some　difficulty

that　John　arranged　that　they　should　ride　by　turns；　and　the　eldest

should　ride　first。

　　Off　they　set　at　last；　one　on　the　pony；　with　the　dog　bounding　and

barking　before　him；　and　the　others　holding　John's　hands；　both

talking　at　once；　and　overpowering　him　with　questions　about　home；　and

with　school　anecdotes。　I　looked　after　them　with　a　feeling　in　which　I

do　not　know　whether　pleasure　or　melancholy　predominated；　for　I　was

reminded　of　those　days　when；　like　them；　I　had　neither　known　care　nor

sorrow；　and　a　holiday　was　the　summit　of　earthly　felicity。　We　stopped　a

few　moments　afterwards　to　water　the　horses；　and　on　resuming　our　route；

a　turn　of　the　road　brought　us　in　sight　of　a　neat　country　seat。　I　could

just　distinguish　the　forms　of　a　lady　and　two　young　girls　in　the

portico；　and　I　saw　my　little　comrades；　with　Bantam；　Carlo；　and　old

John；　trooping　along　the　carriage　road。　I　leaned　out　of　the　coach

window；　in　hopes　of　witnessing　the　happy　meeting；　but　a　grove　of　trees

shut　it　from　my　sight。

　　In　the　evening　we　reached　a　village　where　I　had　determined　to　pass

the　night。　As　we　drove　into　the　great　gateway　of　the　inn；　I　saw　on　one

side　the　light　of　a　rousing　kitchen　fire　beaming　through　a　window。　I

entered；　and　admired；　for　the　hundredth　time；　that　picture　of

convenience；　neatness；　and　broad　honest　enjoyment；　the　kitchen　of　an

English　inn。　It　was　of　spacious　dimensions；　hung　round　with　copper　and

tin　vessels　highly　polished；　and　decorated　here　and　there　with　a

Christmas　green。　Hams；　tongues；　and　flitches　of　bacon；　were

suspended　from　the　ceiling；　a　smoke…jack　made　its　ceaseless　clanking

beside　the　fireplace；　and　a　clock　ticked　in　one　corner。　A　well…scoured

deal　table　extended　along　one　side　of　the　kitchen；　with　a　cold　round

of　beef；　and　other　hearty　viands　upon　it；　over　which　two　foaming

tankards　of　ale　seemed　mounting　guard。　Travellers　of　inferior　order

were　preparing　to　attack　this　stout　repast；　while　others　sat　smoking

and　gossiping　over　their　ale　on　two　high…backed　oaken　settles　beside

the　fire。　Trim　housemaids　were　hurrying　backwards　and　forwards　under

the　directions　of　a　fresh；　bustling　landlady；　but　still　seizing　an

occasional　moment　to　exchange　a　flippant　word；　and　have　a　rallying

laugh；　with　the　group　round　the　fire。　The　scene　completely　realized

Poor　Robin's　humble　idea　of　the　comforts　of　mid…winter：



　　　　　　　　　　　Now　trees　their　leafy　hats　do　bare

　　　　　　　　　　　To　reverence　Winter's　silver　hair；

　　　　　　　　　　　A　handsome　hostesss；　merry　host；

　　　　　　　　　　　A　pot　of　ale　now　and　a　toast；

　　　　　　　　　　　Tobacco　and　a　good　coal　fire；

　　　　　　　　　　　Are　things　this　season　doth　require。*



　　*　Poor　Robin's　Almanac；　1684。



　　I　had　not　been　long　at　the　inn　when　a　post…chaise　drove　up　to　the

door。　A　young　gentleman　stept　out；　and　by　the　light　of　the　lamps　I

caught　a　glimpse　of　a　countenance　which　I　thought　I　knew。　I　moved

forward　to　get　a　nearer　view；　when　his　eye　caught　mine。　I　was　not

mistaken；　it　was　Frank　Bracebridge；　a　sprightly　good…humored　young

fellow；　with　whom　I　had　once　travelled　on　the　continent。　Our　meeting

was　extremely　cordial；　for　the　countenance　of　an　old

fellow…traveller　always　brings　up　the　recollection　of　a　thousand

pleasant　scenes；　odd　adventures；　and　excellent　jokes。　To　discuss　all

these　in　a　transient　interview　at　an　inn　was　impossible；　and　finding

that　I　was　not　pressed　for　time；　and　was　merely　making　a　tour　of

observation；　he　insisted　that　I　should　give　him　a　day　or　two　at　his

father's　country　seat；　to　which　he　was　going　to　pass　the　holidays；　and

which　lay　at　a　few　miles　distance。　〃It　is　better　than　eating　a

solitary　Christmas　dinner　at　an　inn；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　can　assure　you

of　a　hearty　welcome　in　something　of　the　old…fashioned　style。〃　His

reasoning　was　cogent；　and　I　must　confess　the　preparation　I　had　seen

for　universal　festivity　and　social　enjoyment　had　made　me　feel　a　little

impatient　of　my　loneliness。　I　closed；　therefore；　at　once；　with　his

invitation；　the　chaise　drove　up　to　the　door；　and　in　a　few　moments　I

was　on　my　way　to　the　family　mansion　of　the　Bracebridges。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。