第79章

believeforaconsiderabletime；IwassuddenlyawakenedbytheceasingofthejoltingtowhichIhadbecomeaccustomed，andofwhichIwasperfectlysensibleinmysleep。Istartedupandlookedaroundme，themoonwasstillshining，andthefaceoftheheavenwasstuddedwithstars；Ifoundmyselfamidstamazeofbushesofvariouskinds，butprincipallyhazelandholly，throughwhichwasapathordriftwaywithgrassgrowingoneitherside，uponwhichtheponywasalreadydiligentlybrowsing。Iconjecturedthatthisplacehadbeenoneofthehauntsofhisformermaster，and，ondismountingandlookingabout，wasstrengthenedinthatopinionbyfindingaspotunderanashtreewhich，fromitsburntandblackenedappearance，seemedtohavebeenfrequentlyusedasafireplace。Iwilltakeupmyquartershere，thoughtI；itisanexcellentspotformetocommencemynewprofessionin；Iwasquiterighttotrustmyselftotheguidanceofthepony。Unharnessingtheanimalwithoutdelay，Ipermittedhimtobrowseatfreewillonthegrass，convincedthathewouldnotwanderfarfromaplacetowhichhewassomuchattached；IthenpitchedthelittletentclosebesidetheashtreetowhichIhavealluded，andconveyedtwoorthreearticlesintoit，andinstantlyfeltthatIhadcommencedhousekeepingforthefirsttimeinmylife。Housekeeping，however，withoutafireisaverysorryaffair，somethinglikethehousekeepingofchildrenintheirtoyhouses；ofthisIwasthemoresensiblefromfeelingverycoldandshivering，owingtomylateexposuretotherain，andsleepinginthenightair。

Collecting，therefore，allthedrysticksandfurzeIcouldfind，I

placedthemuponthefireplace，addingcertainchipsandabilletwhichIfoundinthecart，ithavingapparentlybeenthehabitofSlingsbytocarrywithhimasmallstoreoffuel。Havingthenstruckasparkinatinder-boxandlightedamatch，Isetfiretothecombustibleheap，andwasnotslowinraisingacheerfulblaze；

Ithendrewmycartnearthefire，and，seatingmyselfononeoftheshafts，hungoverthewarmthwithfeelingsofintensepleasureandsatisfaction。Havingcontinuedinthispostureforaconsiderabletime，Iturnedmyeyestotheheaveninthedirectionofaparticularstar；I，however，couldnotfindthestar，norindeedmanyofthestarrytrain，thegreaternumberhavingfled，fromwhichcircumstance，andfromtheappearanceofthesky，I

concludedthatmorningwasnigh。AboutthistimeIagainbegantofeeldrowsy；Ithereforearose，andhavingpreparedformyselfakindofcouchinthetent，Iflungmyselfuponitandwenttosleep。

IwillnotsaythatIwasawakenedinthemorningbythecarollingofbirds，asIperhapsmightifIwerewritinganovel；Iawokebecause，tousevulgarlanguage，Ihadsleptmysleepout，notbecausethebirdswerecarollingaroundmeinnumbers，astheyhadprobablybeenforhourswithoutmyhearingthem。Igotupandleftmytent；themorningwasyetmorebrightthanthatoftheprecedingday。Impelledbycuriosity，Iwalkedaboutendeavouringtoascertaintowhatplacechance，orratherthepony，hadbroughtme；

followingthedriftwayforsometime，amidstbushesandstuntedtrees，Icametoagroveofdarkpines，throughwhichitappearedtolead；Itrackeditafewhundredyards，butseeingnothingbuttrees，andthewaybeingwetandsloughy，owingtotherecentrain，Ireturnedonmysteps，and，pursuingthepathinanotherdirection，cametoasandyroadleadingoveracommon，doubtlesstheoneIhadtraversedtheprecedingnight。Mycuriositysatisfied，Ireturnedtomylittleencampment，andonthewaybeheldasmallfootpathontheleftwindingthroughthebushes，whichhadbeforeescapedmyobservation。Havingreachedmytentandcart，IbreakfastedonsomeoftheprovisionswhichIhadprocuredthedaybefore，andthenproceededtotakearegularaccountofthestockformerlypossessedbySli