第109章

Thenew-comerwasawell-madefellowofaboutthirty，withanopenandagreeablecountenance。Ifoundhimverywellinformedforamaninhisstation，andwithsomepretensionstohumour。Afterwehaddiscoursedforsometimeonindifferentsubjects，thepostilion，whohadexhaustedhispipe，tookitfromhismouth，and，knockingouttheashesupontheground，exclaimed，’Ilittlethought，whenIgotupinthemorning，thatIshouldspendthenightinsuchagreeablecompany，andaftersuchafright。’

’Well，’saidI，’Iamgladthatyouropinionofushasimproved；itisnotlongsinceyouseemedtoholdusinratherasuspiciouslight。’

’Andnowonder，’saidtheman，’seeingtheplaceyouweretakingmeto!Iwasnotalittle，butverymuchafraidofyeboth；andsoI

continuedforsometime，though，nottoshowacravenheart，I

pretendedtobequitesatisfied；butIseeIwasaltogethermistakenaboutye。Ithoughtyouvagrantgypsyfolksandtrampers；

butnow-’

’Vagrantgypsyfolksandtrampers，’saidI；’andwhatarewebutpeopleofthatstamp？’

’Oh，’saidthepostilion，’ifyouwishtobethoughtsuch，Iamfartoocivilapersontocontradictyou，especiallyafteryourkindnesstome，but-’

’But!’saidI；’whatdoyoumeanbybut？IwouldhaveyoutoknowthatIamproudofbeingatravellingblacksmith；lookatthesedonkey-shoes，Ifinishedthemthisday。’

Thepostiliontooktheshoesandexaminedthem。’Soyoumadetheseshoes？’hecriedatlast。

’TobesureIdid；doyoudoubtit？’

’Notintheleast，’saidtheman。

’Ah!ah!’saidI，’IthoughtIshouldbringyoubacktoyouroriginalopinion。Iam，then，avagrantgypsybody，atramper，awanderingblacksmith。’

’Notablacksmith，whateverelseyoumaybe，’saidthepostilion，laughing。

’Thenhowdoyouaccountformymakingthoseshoes？’

’Byyournotbeingablacksmith，’saidthepostilion；’noblacksmithwouldhavemadeshoesinthatmanner。Besides，whatdidyoumeanjustnowbysayingyouhadfinishedtheseshoesto-day？A

realblacksmithwouldhaveflungoffthreeorfoursetsofdonkey-

shoesinonemorning，butyou，Iwillbesworn，havebeenhammeringatthesefordays，andtheydoyoucredit-butwhy？-becauseyouarenoblacksmith；no，friend，yourshoesmaydoforthisyounggentlewoman’sanimal，butIshouldn’tliketohavemyhorsesshodbyyou，unlessatagreatpinchindeed。’

’Then，’saidI，’forwhatdoyoutakeme？’

’Why，forsomerunawayyounggentleman，’saidthepostilion。’Nooffence，Ihope？’

’Noneatall；nooneisoffendedatbeingtakenormistakenforayounggentleman，whetherrunawayornot；butfromwhencedoyousupposeIhaverunaway？’

’Why，fromcollege，’saidtheman：’nooffence？’

’Nonewhatever；andwhatinducedmetorunawayfromcollege？’

’Aloveaffair，I’llbesworn，’saidthepostilion。’Youhadbecomeacquaintedwiththisyounggentlewoman，sosheandyou-’

’Mindhowyougeton，friend，’saidBelle，inadeepserioustone。

’Prayproceed，’saidI；’Idaresayyoumeannooffence。’

’Noneintheworld，’saidthepostilion；’allIwasgoingtosaywas，thatyouagreedtorunawaytogether，youfromcollege，andshefromboarding-s