第49章

blanktocrossthewater。Thisrevolt，whichcameverysuddenly，andonthelastday，soalarmedMr。Sedley，junior，thathewasonthepointofgivinguptheexpedition，butCaptainDobbin(whomadehimselfimmenselyofficiousinthebusiness，Jossaid)，ratedhimandlaughedathimsoundly：themustachiosweregrowninadvance，andJosfinallywaspersuadedtoembark。Inplaceofthewell-bredandwell-fedLondondomestics，whocouldonlyspeakEnglish，DobbinprocuredforJos’spartyaswarthylittleBelgianservantwhocouldspeaknolanguageatall；butwho，byhisbustlingbehaviour，andbyinvariablyaddressingMr。Sedleyas“Mylord。”

speedilyacquiredthatgentleman’sfavour。TimesarealteredatOstendnow；oftheBritonswhogothither，veryfewlooklikelords，oractlikethosemembersofourhereditaryaristocracy。Theyseemforthemostpartshabbyinattire，dingyoflinen，loversofbilliardsandbrandy，andcigarsandgreasyordinaries。

Butitmaybesaidasarule，thateveryEnglishmanintheDukeofWellington’sarmypaidhisway。Theremembranceofsuchafactsurelybecomesanationofshopkeepers。Itwasablessingforacommerce-lovingcountrytobeoverrunbysuchanarmyofcustomers：

andtohavesuchcreditablewarriorstofeed。Andthecountrywhichtheycametoprotectisnotmilitary。Foralongperiodofhistorytheyhaveletotherpeoplefightthere。WhenthepresentwriterwenttosurveywitheagleglancethefieldofWaterloo，weaskedtheconductorofthediligence，aportlywarlike-lookingveteran，whetherhehadbeenatthebattle。”Passibete“——suchananswerandsentimentasnoFrenchmanwouldownto——

washisreply。But，ontheotherhand，thepostilionwhodroveuswasaViscount，asonofsomebankruptImperialGeneral，whoacceptedapennyworthofbeerontheroad。Themoralissurelyagoodone。

Thisflat，flourishing，easycountrynevercouldhavelookedmorerichandprosperousthaninthatopeningsummerof1815，whenitsgreenfieldsandquietcitieswereenlivenedbymultipliedred-coats：whenitswidechausseesswarmedwithbrilliantEnglishequipages：

whenitsgreatcanal-boats，glidingbyrichpasturesandpleasantquaintoldvillages，byoldchateauxlyingamongstoldtrees，wereallcrowdedwithwell-to-doEnglishtravellers：whenthesoldierwhodrankatthevillageinn，notonlydrank，butpaidhisscore；andDonald，theHighlander，billetedintheFlemishfarm-house，rockedthebaby’scradle，whileJeanandJeannettewereoutgettinginthehay。Asourpaintersarebentonmilitarysubjectsjustnow，Ithrowoutthisasagoodsubjectforthepencil，toillustratetheprincipleofanhonestEnglishwar。AlllookedasbrilliantandharmlessasaHydeParkreview。Meanwhile，Napoleonscreenedbehindhiscurtainoffrontier-fortresses，waspreparingfortheoutbreakwhichwastodrivealltheseorderlypeopleintofuryandblood；andlaysomanyofthemlow。

Everybodyhadsuchaperfectfeelingofconfidenceintheleader(fortheresolutefaithwhichtheDukeofWellingtonhadinspiredinthewholeEnglishnationwasasintenseasthatmorefranticenthusiasmwithwhichatonetimetheFrenchregardedNapoleon)，thecountryseemedinsoperfectastateoforderlydefence，andthehelpathandincaseofneedsonearandoverwhelming，thatalarmwasunknown，andourtravellers，amongwhomtwowerenaturallyofaverytimidsort，were，likealltheothermultipliedEnglishtourists，entirelyatease。Thefamousregiment，withsomanyofwhoseofficerswehavemadeacquaintance，wasdraftedincanalboatstoBrugesandGhent，thencetomarchtoBrussels。

Josaccompaniedtheladiesinthepublicboats；thewhichalloldtravellersinFlandersmustrememberfortheluxuryandaccommodationtheyafforded。Soprodigiouslygoodwastheeatinganddrinkingonboardthesesluggishbutmostcomfortablevessels，thattherearelegendsextantofanEnglishtraveller，who，comingtoBelgiumforaweek，andtravellinginoneoftheseboats，wassodelightedwiththefaretherethathewentbackwardsandforwardsfromGhenttoBrugesperpetuallyuntiltherailroadswereinvented，whenhedrownedhimselfonthelasttripofthepassage-boat。Jos’sdeathwasnottobeofthissort，buthiscomfortwasexceeding，andMrs。

O’DowdinsistedthatheonlywantedhersisterGlorvinatomakehishappinesscomplete。HesateontheroofofthecabinalldaydrinkingFlemishbeer，shoutingforIsidor，hisservant，andtalkinggallantlytotheladies。

Hiscouragewasprodigious。”Boneyattackus！”hecried。”Mydearcreature，mypoorEmmy，don’tbefrightened。There’snodanger。TheallieswillbeinParisintwomonths，Itellyou；whenI’lltakeyoutodineinthePalaisRoyal，b