第64章

AtrulysingularmanwasthissameColonelB-，ofLondonderryinIreland；apersonageofmoststrangeandincrediblefeatsanddaring，whohadbeenapartizansoldier，abravo-who，assistedbycertaindiscontentedtroopers，nearlysucceededinstealingthecrownandregaliafromtheTowerofLondon；whoattemptedtohangtheDukeofOrmondatTyburn；andwhosestrange，eventfulcareerdidnotterminateevenwithhislife，hisdeadbody，onthecirculationofanunfoundedreportthathedidnotcometohisdeathbyfairmeans，havingbeenexhumedbythemobofhisnativeplace，wherehehadretiredtodie，andcarriedinthecoffinthroughthestreets。

OfhislifeIhadinsertedanaccountintheNEWGATELIVESAND

TRIALS；itwasbareandmeagre，andwritteninthestiff，awkwardstyleoftheseventeenthcentury；ithad，however，stronglycaptivatedmyimagination，andInowthoughtthatoutofitsomethingbettercouldbemade；that，ifIaddedtotheadventures，andpurifiedthestyle，Imightfashionoutofitaverydecenttaleornovel。Onasudden，however，theproverbofmendingoldgarmentswithnewclothoccurredtome。’Iamafraid，’saidI，’anynewadventureswhichIcaninventwillnotfadgewellwiththeoldtale；onewillbutspoiltheother。’IhadbetterhavenothingtodowithColonelB-，thoughtI，butboldlyandindependentlysitdownandwritethelifeofJosephSell。

ThisJosephSell，dearreader，wasafictitiouspersonagewhohadjustcomeintomyhead。Ihadneverevenheardofthename，butjustatthatmomentithappenedtocomeintomyhead；Iwouldwriteanentirelyfictitiousnarrative，calledtheLIFEANDADVENTURESOF

JOSEPHSELL，thegreattraveller。

Ihadbetterbeginatonce，thoughtI；andremovingthebreadandthejug，whichlatterwasnowempty，Iseizedpenandpaper，andforthwithessayedtowritethelifeofJosephSell，butsoondiscoveredthatitismucheasiertoresolveuponathingthantoachieveit，oreventocommenceit；forthelifeofmeIdidnotknowhowtobegin，and，aftertryinginvaintowritealine，I

thoughtitwouldbeaswelltogotobed，anddefermyprojectedundertakingtillthemorrow。

SoIwenttobed，butnottosleep。DuringthegreaterpartofthenightIlayawake，musingupontheworkwhichIhaddeterminedtoexecute。Foralongtimemybrainwasdryandunproductive；I

couldformnoplanwhichappearedfeasible。AtlengthIfeltwithinmybrainakindlyglow；itwasthecommencementofinspiration；inafewminutesIhadformedmyplan；Ithenbegantoimaginethescenesandtheincidents。Scenesandincidentsflittedbeforemymind’seyesoplentifully，thatIknewnothowtodisposeofthem；Iwasinaregularembarrassment。AtlengthIgotoutofthedifficultyintheeasiestmannerimaginable，namely，byconsigningtothedepthsofoblivionallthefeeblerandlessstimulantscenesandincidents，andretainingthebetterandmoreimpressiveones。BeforemorningIhadsketchedthewholeworkonthetabletsofmymind，andthenresignedmyselftosleepinthepleasingconvictionthatthemostdifficultpartofmyundertakingwasachieved。

CHAPTERLVI

Considerablysobered-Powerofwriting-Thetempter-Hungrytalent-Workconcluded。

RATHERlateinthemorningIawoke；forafewminutesIlaystill，perfectlystill；myimaginationwasconsiderablysobered；thescenesandsituationswhichhadpleasedmesomuchovernightappearedtomeinafarl