第66章

Themilestone-Themeditation-Wanttogetup？-Theoff-handleader-Sixteenshillings-Thenear-handwheeler-Allright。

INabouttwohoursIhadclearedtheGreatCity，andgotbeyondthesuburbanvillages，orrathertowns，inthedirectioninwhichIwastravelling；Iwasinabroadandexcellentroad，leadingIknewnotwhither。Inowslackenedmypace，whichhadhithertobeengreat。

Presently，comingtoamilestoneonwhichwasgravenninemiles，I

restedagainstit，andlookingroundtowardsthevastcity，whichhadlongceasedtobevisible，Ifellintoatrainofmeditation。

Ithoughtofallmywaysanddoingssincethedayofmyfirstarrivalinthatvastcity-Ihadworkedandtoiled，and，thoughI

hadaccomplishednothingatallcommensuratewiththehopeswhichI

hadentertainedprevioustomyarrival，Ihadachievedmyownliving，preservedmyindependence，andbecomeindebtedtonoone。

Iwasnowquittingit，poorinpurse，itistrue，butnotwhollyempty；ratherailingitmaybe，butnotbrokeninhealth；and，withhopewithinmybosom，hadInotcauseuponthewholetobethankful？Perhapsthereweresomewho，arrivingatthesametimeundernotmorefavourablecircumstances，hadaccomplishedmuchmore，andwhosefuturewasfarmorehopeful-Good!Buttheremightbeotherswho，inspiteofalltheirefforts，hadbeeneithertroddendowninthepress，nevermoretobeheardof，orwerequittingthatmightytownbrokeninpurse，brokeninhealth，and，oh!withnotonedearhopetocheerthem。HadInot，uponthewhole，abundantcausetobegrateful？Truly，yes!

Mymeditationover，Ileftthemilestoneandproceededonmywayinthesamedirectionasbeforeuntilthenightbegantoclosein。I

hadalwaysbeenagoodpedestrian；butnow，whetherowingtoindispositionortonothavingforsometimepastbeenmuchinthehabitoftakingsuchlengthywalks，Ibegantofeelnotalittleweary。JustasIwasthinkingofputtingupforthenightatthenextinnorpublic-houseIshouldarriveat，Iheardwhatsoundedlikeacoachcominguprapidlybehindme。Induced，perhaps，bythewearinesswhichIfelt，Istoppedandlookedwistfullyinthedirectionofthesound；presentlyupcameacoach，seeminglyamail，drawnbyfourboundinghorses-therewasnooneuponitbutthecoachmanandtheguard；whennearlyparallelwithmeitstopped。’Wanttogetup？’soundedavoice，inthetruecoachman-

liketone-halfquerulous，halfauthoritative。Ihesitated；Iwastired，itistrue，butIhadleftLondonboundonapedestrianexcursion，andIdidnotmuchliketheideaofhavingrecoursetoacoachafteraccomplishingsoveryinconsiderableadistance。

’Come，wecan’tbestayinghereallnight，’saidthevoice，moresharplythanbefore。’Icanridealittleway，andgetdownwheneverIlike，’thoughtI；andspringingforwardIclamberedupthecoach，andwasgoingtositdownuponthebox，nextthecoachman。’No，no，’saidthecoachman，whowasamanaboutthirty，withahookednoseandredface，dressedinafashionably-cutgreatcoat，withafashionableblackcastoronhishead。’No，no，keepbehind-theboxain’tforthelikeofyou，’saidhe，ashedroveoff；’theboxisforlords，orgentlemenatleast。’Imadenoanswer。’D-thatoff-handleader，’saidthecoachman，astheright-handfronthorsemadeadesperatestartatsomethinghesawintheroad；and，halfrising，hewithgreatdexterityhitwithhislongwhiptheoff-handleaderacutontheoffcheek。’Theseseemtobefinehorses，’saidI。Thecoachmanmadenoanswer。’Nearlythoroughbred，’Icontinued；thecoachmandrewhisbreath，withakindofhissingsound，throughhisteeth。’Come，youngfellow，noneofyourchaff。Don’tyouthink，becauseyourideonmymail，