第22章

Ihavealreadyhadoccasiontomentionthiscastle。ItistheremainsofwhatwasonceaNormanstronghold，andispercheduponaroundmoundormonticle，inthemidstoftheoldcity。Steepisthismoundandscarped，evidentlybythehandofman；adeepgorgeoverwhichisflungabridge，separatesit，onthesouth，fromabroadswellofopengroundcalled’thehill’；ofoldthesceneofmanyatournamentandfeatofNormanchivalry，butnowmuchusedasashow-placeforcattle，wherethosewhobuyandsellbeevesandotherbeastsresortatstatedperiods。

SoitcametopassthatIstooduponthishill，observingafairofhorses。

ThereaderisalreadyawarethatIhadlongsinceconceivedapassionfortheequinerace；apassioninwhichcircumstanceshadoflatenotpermittedmetoindulge。Ihadnohorsestoride，butItookpleasureinlookingatthem；andIhadalreadyattendedmorethanoneofthesefairs：thepresentwaslivelyenough，indeedhorsefairsareseldomdull。Therewasshoutingandwhooping，neighingandbraying；therewasgallopingandtrotting；fellowswithhighlowsandwhitestockings，andwithmanyastringdanglingfromthekneesoftheirtightbreeches，wererunningdesperately，holdinghorsesbythehalter，andinsomecasesdraggingthemalong；therewerelong-tailedsteedsanddock-tailedsteedsofeverydegreeandbreed；thereweredrovesofwildponies，andlongrowsofsobercarthorses；thereweredonkeys，andevenmules：thelastrarethingstobeseenindamp，mistyEngland，forthemulepinesinmudandrain，andthrivesbestwithahotsunaboveandaburningsandbelow。Therewere-oh，thegallantcreatures!I

heartheirneighuponthewind；therewere-goodliestsightofall-certainenormousquadrupedsonlyseentoperfectioninournativeisle，ledaboutbydappergrooms，theirmanesribandedandtheirtailscuriouslyclubbedandballed。Ha!ha!-howdistinctlydotheysay，ha!ha!

Anoldmandrawsnigh，heismountedonaleanpony，andheleadsbythebridleoneoftheseanimals；nothingveryremarkableaboutthatcreature，unlessinbeingsmallerthantherestandgentle，whichtheyarenot；heisnotofthesightliestlook；heisalmostdun，andoveroneeyeathickfilmhasgathered。Butstay!thereISsomethingremarkableaboutthathorse，thereissomethinginhisactioninwhichhediffersfromalltherest：asheadvances，theclamourishushed!alleyesareturneduponhim-whatlooksofinterest-ofrespect-and，whatisthis？peoplearetakingofftheirhats-surelynottothatsteed!Yes，verily!men，especiallyoldmen，aretakingofftheirhatstothatone-eyedsteed，andIhearmorethanonedeep-drawnah!

’Whathorseisthat？’saidItoaveryoldfellow，thecounterpartoftheoldmanonthepony，savethatthelastworeafadedsuitofvelveteen，andthisonewasdressedinawhitefrock。

’ThebestinmotherEngland，’saidtheveryoldman，takingaknobbedstickfromhismouth，andlookingmeintheface，atfirstcarelessly，butpresentlywithsomethinglikeinterest；’heisoldlikemyself，butcanstilltrothistwentymilesanhour。Youwon’tlivelong，myswain；tallandover-grownonesliketheeneverdoes；yet，ifyoushouldchancetoreachmyyears，youmayboasttothygreat-grand-boysthouhastseenMarshlandShales。’

AmainIdidforthehorsewhatIwouldneitherdoforearlnorbaron，doffedmyhat；yes!Idoffedmyhattothewondroushorse，thefasttrotter，thebestinmotherEngland；andItoodrewadeepah!andrepeatedthewordso