第71章

’YouknowthatIamnotluxurious，neitherinanywaygiventothecommonlustsoftheflesh，John。Myfatherneverallowedhishairtogrowafourthpartofaninchinlength，andhewasathoroughlygodlyman；

andItrytofollowinhisfootsteps，wheneverIthinkaboutit。Nevertheless，Idoassureyouthatmyviewofthatlittlehouseandthewaythelightsweretwinkling，sodifferentfromthecoldanddarknessoftherollingsea，movedtheancientAdaminme，ifhecouldhefoundtomove。Ilovenotahousewithtoomanywindows：beingoutofhouseanddoorssomethree-quartersofmytime，whenIgetinsideahouseI

liketofeelthedifference。Airandlightaregoodforpeoplewhohaveanylackofthem；andifamanoncetalksaboutthem，’tisenoughtoprovehisneedofthem。But，asyouwellknow，JohnRidd，thehorsewhohasbeenatworkallday，withthesunshineinhiseyes，sleepsbetterindarkstables，andneedsnomoontohelphim。

’Seeingthereforethatthissameinnhadfourwindows，andnomore，Ithoughttomyselfhowsnugitwas，andhowbeautifulIcouldsleepthere。AndsoImadetheoldhorsedrawhand，whichhewasonlytoogladtodo，andweclombabovethespring-tidemark，andoveralittlepieceofturf，andstruckthedoorofthehostelry。Someonecameandpeepedatmethroughthelatticeoverhead，whichwasfullofbulls’eyes；andthentheboltwasdrawnback，andawomanmetmeverycourteously。Adarkandforeign-lookingwoman，veryhotofblood，Idoubt，butnotaltogetherabadone。

Andshewaitedformetospeakfirst，whichanEnglishwomanwouldnothavedone。

’“CanIresthereforthenight？“Iasked，withaliftofmyhattoher；forshewasnoprovincialdame，whowouldstareatmeforthecourtesy；“myhorseiswearyfromthesloughs，andmyselfbutlittlebetter：besidethat，webotharefamished。“

’“Yes，sir，youcanrestandwelcome。Butoffood，I

fear，thereisbutlittle，unlessofthecommonorder。

Ourfisherswouldhavedrawnthenets，butthewaveswereviolent。However，wehave——whatyoucallit？I

nevercanremember，itissohardtosay——thefleshofthehogsalted。“

’“Bacon!“saidI；“whatcanbebetter？Andhalfdozenofeggswithit，andaquartoffresh-drawnale。Youmakemeragewithhunger，madam。Isitcruelty，orhospitality？“

’“Ah，good!“shereplied，withamerrysmile，fullofsouthernsunshine：“youarenotofthemenroundhere；

youcanthink，andyoucanlaugh!“

’“Andmostofall，Icaneat，goodmadam。InthatwayIshallastonishyou；evenmorethanbymyintellect。“

’Shelaughedaloud，andswunghershoulders，asyournativescannotdo；andthenshecalledalittlemaidtoleadmyhorsetostable。However，Ipreferredtoseethatmatterdonemyself，andtoldhertosendthelittlemaidforthefrying-panandtheegg-box。

’Whetheritweremynaturalwitandeleganceofmanner；

orwhetheritweremyLondonfreedomandknowledgeoftheworld；or(whichisperhapsthemostprobable，becausetheleastpleasingsupposition)myreadyandpermanentappetite，andappreciationofgarlic——Ileaveyoutodecide，John：butperhapsallthreecombinedtorecommendmetothegracesofmycharminghostess。

WhenIsay“charming，“Imeanofcoursebymannersandbyintelligence，andmostofallbycooking；forasregardsexternalcharms(mostfleetingandfallacious)

hershadceasedtocausedistress，forIcannotsayhowmanyyears。Shesaidthatitwastheclimate——forevenuponthatsubjectsherequestedmyopinion——andI

answered，“iftherebeachange，letmadamblametheseasons。“

’However，nottodwelltoomuchuponourlittlepleasantries(forIalwaysgetonwiththeseforeignwomenbetterthanwithyourMollsandPegs)，Ibecame，notinquisitive，butreasonablydesiroustoknow，bywhatstrangehaporhazard，acleverandahandsomewoman，asshemusthavebeensomeday，awomanmoreoverwithgreatcontemptfortherusticmindsaroundher，couldhavesettledhereinthislonelyinn，withonlythewavesforcompany，andaboorishhusbandwhoslavedalldayinturningapotter’swheelatWatchett。Andwhatwasthemeaningoftheemblemsetaboveherdoorway，averyunattractivecatsittinginaruinedtree？

’However，Ihadnotverylongtostrainmycuriosity；

forwhenshefoundoutwhoIwas，andhowIheldtheKing’scommission，andmightbecalledanofficer，herdesiretotellmeallwasmorethanequaltomineofhea