第110章

’Idon’tcarewhattheproverbsays，’saidBelle；’Isaymybloodisthebest-mynameisBerners，IsopelBerners-itwasmymother’sname，andisbetter，Iamsure，thananyyoubear，whateverthatmaybe；andthoughyousaythatthedescentonthefatherssideistheprincipalthing-andIknowwhyyousayso，’

sheaddedwithsomeexcitement-’Isaythatdescentonthemother’ssideisofmostaccount，becausethemother-’

’JustcomefromGretnaGreen，andalreadyquarrelling!’saidthepostilion。

’WedonotcomefromGretnaGreen，’saidBelle。

’Ah，Ihadforgot，’saidthepostilion；’nonebutgreatpeoplegotoGretnaGreen。Well，then，fromchurch，andalreadyquarrellingaboutfamily，justliketwogreatpeople。’

’Wehaveneverbeentochurch，’saidBelle；’andtopreventanymoreguessingonyourpart，itwillbeaswellformetotellyou，friend，thatIamnothingtotheyoungman，andhe，ofcourse，nothingtome。Iamapoortravellinggirl，borninaworkhouse：

journeyingonmyoccasionswithcertaincompanions，Icametothishollow，wheremycompanyquarrelledwiththeyoungman，whohadsettleddownhere，ashehadarighttodoifhepleased；andnotbeingabletodrivehimout，theywentawayafterquarrellingwithme，too，fornotchoosingtosidewiththem；soIstayedherealongwiththeyoungman，therebeingroomforusboth，andtheplacebeingasfreetomeastohim。’

’Andinorderthatyoumaybenolongerpuzzledwithrespecttomyself，’saidI；’Iwillgiveyouabriefoutlineofmyhistory。I

amthesonofhonourableparents，whogavemeafirst-rateeducation，asfarasliteratureandlanguageswent，withwhicheducationIendeavoured，onthedeathofmyfather，toadvancemyselftowealthandreputationinthebigcity；butfailingintheattempt，Iconceivedadisgustforthebusyworld，anddeterminedtoretirefromit。Afterwanderingaboutforsometime，andmeetingwithvariousadventures，inoneofwhichIcontrivedtoobtainapony，cart，andcertaintoolsusedbysmithsandtinkers，Icametothisplace，whereIamusedmyselfwithmakinghorse-

shoes，orratherpony-shoes，havingacquiredtheartofwieldingthehammerandtongsfromastrangekindofsmith-nothimofGretnaGreen-whomIknewinmychildhood。AndhereIlived，doingharmtonoone，quitelonelyandsolitary，tillonefinemorningthepremiseswerevisitedbythisyounggentlewomanandhercompanions。Shedidherselfanythingbutjusticewhenshesaidthathercompanionsquarrelledwithherbecauseshewouldnotsidewiththemagainstme；theyquarrelledwithherbecauseshecamemostheroicallytomyassistanceasIwasonthepointofbeingmurdered；andsheforgottotellyouthat，aftertheyhadabandonedher，shestoodbymeinthe-darkhour，comfortingandcheeringme，whenunspeakabledread，towhichIamoccasionallysubject，tookpossessionofmymind。Shesayssheisnothingtome，evenasIamnothingtoher。Iamofcoursenothingtoher，butsheismistakeninthinkingsheisnothingtome。Ientertainthehighestregardandadmirationforher，beingconvincedthatImightsearchthewholeworldinvainforanaturemoreheroicanddevoted。’

’Andformypart，’saidBelle，withasob，’amorequietagreeablepartnerinaplacelikethisIwouldnotwishtohave；itistruehehasstrangeways，andfrequentlyputswordsintomymouthverydifficulttoutter，but-but-’andheresheburiedherfaceoncemoreinherhands。

’Well，’saidthepostilion，’Ihavebeenmistakenaboutyou；thatis，notaltogether，butinpart。Youarenotrichfolks，itseems，butyouarenotcommonpeople，andthatIcouldhavesworn。WhatI

callashameis，thatsomepeopleIhaveknownarenotinyourplaceandyouintheirs，youwiththeirestatesandboroughinterest，theyinthisdinglewiththesecartsandanimals；butthereisnohelpforthesethings。WereIthegreatMumboJumboabove，Iwouldendeavourtomanagemattersbetter；butbeingasimplepostilion，gladtoearnthreeshillingsaday，Ican’tbeexpectedtodomuch。’

’WhoisMumboJumbo