mudfog+-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



railwayman）　who　shall　attempt　to　stop　the　horses；　which　now　travel

（when　they　travel　at　all）　INSIDE　and　in　a　portable　stable　invented

for　the　purpose；　…　he　dismounted；　I　say；　slowly　and　sadly；　from　his

post；　and　looking　mournfully　about　him　as　if　in　dismal　recollection

of　the　old　roadside　public…house　the　blazing　fire　…　the　glass　of

foaming　ale　…　the　buxom　handmaid　and　admiring　hangers…on　of　tap…

room　and　stable；　all　honoured　by　his　notice；　and；　retiring　a　little

apart；　stood　leaning　against　a　signal…post；　surveying　the　engine

with　a　look　of　combined　affliction　and　disgust　which　no　words　can

describe。　　His　scarlet　coat　and　golden　lace　were　tarnished　with

ignoble　smoke；　flakes　of　soot　had　fallen　on　his　bright　green　shawl

…　his　pride　in　days　of　yore　…　the　steam　condensed　in　the　tunnel

from　which　we　had　just　emerged；　shone　upon　his　hat　like　rain。　　His

eye　betokened　that　he　was　thinking　of　the　coachman；　and　as　it

wandered　to　his　own　seat　and　his　own　fast…fading　garb；　it　was　plain

to　see　that　he　felt　his　office　and　himself　had　alike　no　business

there；　and　were　nothing　but　an　elaborate　practical　joke。



As　we　whirled　away；　I　was　led　insensibly　into　an　anticipation　of

those　days　to　come；　when　mail…coach　guards　shall　no　longer　be

judges　of　horse…flesh　…　when　a　mail…coach　guard　shall　never　even

have　seen　a　horse　…　when　stations　shall　have　superseded　stables；

and　corn　shall　have　given　place　to　coke。　　'In　those　dawning　times；'

thought　I；　'exhibition…rooms　shall　teem　with　portraits　of　Her

Majesty's　favourite　engine；　with　boilers　after　Nature　by　future

Landseers。　　Some　Amburgh；　yet　unborn；　shall　break　wild　horses　by

his　magic　power；　and　in　the　dress　of　a　mail…coach　guard　exhibit　his

TRAINED　ANIMALS　in　a　mock　mail…coach。　　Then；　shall　wondering　crowds

observe　how　that；　with　the　exception　of　his　whip；　it　is　all　his

eye；　and　crowned　heads　shall　see　them　fed　on　oats；　and　stand　alone

unmoved　and　undismayed；　while　counters　flee　affrighted　when　the

coursers　neigh！'



Such；　my　child；　were　the　reflections　from　which　I　was　only　awakened

then；　as　I　am　now；　by　the　necessity　of　attending　to　matters　of

present　though　minor　importance。　　I　offer　no　apology　to　you　for　the

digression；　for　it　brings　me　very　naturally　to　the　subject　of

change；　which　is　the　very　subject　of　which　I　desire　to　treat。



In　fact；　my　child；　you　have　changed　hands。　　Henceforth　I　resign　you

to　the　guardianship　and　protection　of　one　of　my　most　intimate　and

valued　friends；　Mr。　Ainsworth；　with　whom；　and　with　you；　my　best

wishes　and　warmest　feelings　will　ever　remain。　　I　reap　no　gain　or

profit　by　parting　from　you；　nor　will　any　conveyance　of　your

property　be　required；　for；　in　this　respect；　you　have　always　been

literally　'Bentley's'　Miscellany；　and　never　mine。



Unlike　the　driver　of　the　old　Manchester　mail；　I　regard　this　altered

state　of　things　with　feelings　of　unmingled　pleasure　and

satisfaction。



Unlike　the　guard　of　the　new　Manchester　mail；　YOUR　guard　is　at　home

in　his　new　place；　and　has　roystering　highwaymen　and　gallant

desperadoes　ever　within　call。　　And　if　I　might　compare　you；　my

child；　to　an　engine；　（not　a　Tory　engine；　nor　a　Whig　engine；　but　a

brisk　and　rapid　locomotive；）　your　friends　and　patrons　to

passengers；　and　he　who　now　stands　towards　you　IN　LOCO　PARENTIS　as

the　skilful　engineer　and　supervisor　of　the　whole；　I　would　humbly

crave　leave　to　postpone　the　departure　of　the　train　on　its　new　and

auspicious　course　for　one　brief　instant；　while；　with　hat　in　hand；　I

approach　side　by　side　with　the　friend　who　travelled　with　me　on　the

old　road；　and　presume　to　solicit　favour　and　kindness　in　behalf　of

him　and　his　new　charge；　both　for　their　sakes　and　that　of　the　old

coachman；



Boz。









Footnotes：



（1）　This　paper　was　written　before　the　practice　of　exhibiting

Members　of　Parliament；　like　other　curiosities；　for　the　small　charge

of　half…a…crown；　was　abolished。



（2）　The　regulations　of　the　prison　relative　to　the　confinement　of

prisoners　during　the　day；　their　sleeping　at　night；　their　taking

their　meals；　and　other　matters　of　gaol　economy；　have　been　all

altered…greatly　for　the　better　…　since　this　sketch　was　first

published。　　Even　the　construction　of　the　prison　itself　has　been

changed。



（3）　These　two　men　were　executed　shortly　afterwards。　　The　other　was

respited　during　his　Majesty's　pleasure。











End