第22章

confessthatIwassomewhatafraid，butIconsideredmyselfinsomedegreeundertheprotectionofthefamousSergeant，and，clenchingmyfist，Iwentatmyfoe，usingtheguardwhichmyallyrecommended。TheresultcorrespondedtoacertaindegreewiththepredictionsoftheSergeant；Igavemyfoeabloodynoseandablackeye，though，notwithstandingmyrecentlessonintheartofself—defence，hecontrivedtogivemetwoorthreeclumsyblows。FromthatmomentIwastheespecialfavouriteoftheSergeant，whogavemefurtherlessons，sothatinalittletimeIbecameaveryfairboxer，beatingeverybodyofmyownsizewhoattackedme。Theoldgentleman，however，mademepromisenevertobequarrelsome，nortoturnhisinstructionstoaccount，exceptinself—

defence。Ihavealwaysborneinmindmypromise，andhavemadeitapointofconsciencenevertofightunlessabsolutelycompelled。Folksmayrailagainstboxingiftheyplease，butbeingabletoboxmaysometimesstandaquietmaningoodstead。HowshouldIhavefaredto—day，butfortheinstructionsofSergeantBroughton？Butforthem，thebrutalruffianwhoinsultedmemusthavepassedunpunished。HewillnotsoonforgetthelessonwhichIhavejustgivenhim—theonlylessonhecouldunderstand。Whatwouldhavebeentheuseofreasoningwithafellowofthatdescription？BraveoldBroughton！Iowehimmuch。"

"Andyourmanneroffighting，"saidI，"wasthemanneremployedbySergeantBroughton？"

"Yes，"saidmynewacquaintance；"itwasthemannerinwhichhebeateveryonewhoattemptedtocontendwithhim，till，inanevilhour，heenteredtheringwithSlack，withoutanytrainingorpreparation，andbyachanceblowlostthebattletoamanwhohadbeenbeatenwitheasebythosewho，inthehandsofBroughton，appearedlikesomanychildren。ItwasthewayoffightingofhimwhofirsttaughtEnglishmentoboxscientifically，whowastheheadandfatherofthefightersofwhatisnowcalledtheoldschool，thelastofwhichwereJohnsonandBigBen。"

"Awonderfulman，thatBigBen，"saidI。

"Hewasso，"saidtheelderlyindividual；"buthaditnotbeenforBroughton，IquestionwhetherBenwouldhaveeverbeenthefighterhewas。Oh！therewasnoonelikeoldBroughton；butforhimIshouldatthepresentmomentbesneakingalongtheroad，pursuedbythehissingsandhootingsofthedirtyflatterersofthatblackguardcoachman。"

"Whatdidyoumean，"saidI，"bythosewordsofyours，thatthecoachmenwouldspeedilydisappearfromtheroads？"

"Imeant，"saidhe，"thatanewmethodoftravellingisabouttobeestablished，whichwillsupersedetheold。Iamapoorengraver，asmyfatherwasbeforeme；butengravingisanintellectualtrade，andbyfollowingit，IhavebeenbroughtincontactwithsomeofthecleverestmeninEngland。Ithasevenmademeacquaintedwiththeprojectorofthescheme，whichhehastoldmemanyofthewisestheadsofEnglandhavebeendreamingofduringaperiodofsixhundredyears，andwhichitseemswasalludedtobyacertainBrazenHeadinthestory—bookofFriarBacon，whoisgenerallysupposedtohavebeenawizard，butinrealitywasagreatphilosopher。Youngman，inlessthantwentyyears，bywhichtimeIshallbedeadandgone，Englandwillbesurroundedwithroadsofmetal，onwhicharmiesmaytravelwithmightyvelocity，andofwhichthewallsofbrassandironbywhichthefriarproposedtodefendhisnativelandarethetypes。"Hethen，shakingmebythehand，proceededonhisway，whilstIreturnedtotheinn。

CHAPTERXXVII

FrancisArdry—HisMisfortunes—DogandLionFight—GreatMenoftheWorld。

AFEWdaysafterthecircumstancewhichIhavelastcommemorated，itchancedthat，asIwasstandingatthedooroftheinn，oneofthenumerousstage—coacheswhichwereinthehabitofstoppingthere，droveup，andseveralpassengersgotdown。Ihadassistedawomanwithacoupleofchildrentodismount，andhadjustdeliveredtoheraband—box，whichappearedtobeheronlyproperty，whichshehadbeggedmetofetchdownfromtheroof，whenIfeltahandlaiduponmyshoulder，andheardavoiceexclaim，"Isitpossible，oldfellow，thatIfindyouinthisplace？"Iturnedround，and，wrappedinalargebluecloak，IbeheldmygoodfriendFrancisArdry。Ishookhimmostwarmlybythehand，andsaid，"Ifyouaresurprisedtoseeme，Iamnolesssotoseeyou；whereareyouboundto？"

"IamboundforL—；atanyrate，Iambookedforthatsea—

port，"saidmyfriendinreply。

"Iamsorryforit，"saidI，"forinthatcaseweshallhavetopartinaquarterofanhour，thecoachbywhichyoucamestoppingnolonger。"

"Andwhitherareyoubound？"demandedmyfriend。

"Iamstoppingatpresentinthishouse，quiteundeterminedastowhattodo。"

"Thencomealongwithme，"saidFrancisArdry。

"ThatIcanscarcelydo，"saidI；"IhaveahorseinthestallwhichIcannotaffordtoruinbyracingtoL—bythesideofyourcoach。"

Myfriendmusedforamoment："IhavenoparticularbusinessatL—，"saidhe；"Iwasmerelygoingthithertopassadayortwo，tillanaffair，inwhichIamdeeplyinterested，atC—

shallcomeoff。IthinkIshallstaywithyouforfour—and—

twentyhoursatleast；Ihavebeenrathermelancholyoflate，andcannotaffordtopartwithafriendlikeyouatthepresentmoment；itisanunexpectedpieceofgoodfortunetohavemetyou；andIhavenotbeenveryfortunateoflate，"headded，sighing。

"Well，"saidI，"Iamgladtoseeyouoncemore，whetherfortunate，ornot；whereisyourbaggage？"

"Yontrunkismine，"saidFrancis，pointingtoatrunkofblackRussianleatheruponthecoach。

"Wewillsoonhaveitdown，"saidI；andatawordwhichI

gavetooneofthehangers—onoftheinn，thetrunkwastakenfromthetopofthecoach。"Now，"saidItoFrancisArdry，"followme，Iamapersonofsomeauthorityinthishouse；"

thereuponIledFrancisArdryintothehouse，andawordwhichIsaidtoawaiterforthwithinstalledFrancisArdryinacomfortableprivatesitting—room，andhistrunkintheverybestsleeping—roomofourextensiveestablishment。

Itwasnowaboutoneo’clock：FrancisArdryordereddinnerfortwo，tobereadyatfour，andapintofsherrytobebroughtforthwith，whichIrequestedmyfriendthewaitermightbetheverybest，andwhichineffectturnedoutasI

requested；wesatdown，andwhenwehaddrunktoeachother’shealth，FrankrequestedmetomakeknowntohimhowIhadcontrivedtofreemyselffrommyembarrassmentsinLondon，whatIhadbeenaboutsinceIquittedthatcity，andthepresentpostureofmyaffairs。

IrelatedtoFrancisArdryhowIhadcomposedtheLifeofJosephSell，andhowthesaleofittothebooksellerhadenabledmetoquitLondonwithmoneyinmypocket，whichhadsupportedmeduringalongcourseoframbleinthecountry，intotheparticularsofwhichI，however，didnotenterwithanyconsiderabledegreeoffulness。Isummedupmyaccountbysayingthat"Iwasatpresentakindofoverlookerinthestablesoftheinn，hadstillsomepoundsinmypurse，and，moreover，acapitalhorseinthestall。"

"Noveryagreeablepostureofaffairs，"saidFrancisArdry，lookingratherseriouslyatme。

"Imakenocomplaints，"saidI，"myprospectsarenotverybright，itistrue，butsometimesIhavevisionsbothwakingandsleeping，which，thoughalwaysstrange，areinvariablyagreeable。Lastnight，inmychambernearthehayloft，I

dreamtthatIhadpassedoveranalmostinterminablewilderness—anenormouswallrosebeforeme，thewall，methought，wasthegreatwallofChina：—strangefiguresappearedtobebeckoningtomefromthetopofthewall；suchvisionsarenotexactlytobesneeredat。Notthatsuchphantasmagoria，"saidI，raisingmyvoice，"aretobecomparedforamomentwithsuchdesirablethingsasfashion，fineclothes，chequesfromuncles，parliamentaryinterest，theloveofsplendidfemales。Ah！woman’slove，"saidI，andsighed。

"What’sthematterwiththefellow？"saidFrancisArdry。

"Thereisnothinglikeit，"saidI。

"Likewhat？"

"Love，divinelove，"saidI。

"Confoundlove，"saidFrancisArdry，"Ihatetheveryname；I

havemademyselfaprettyfoolbyit，buttrustmeforeverbeingatsuchfollyagain。InanevilhourIabandonedmyformerpursuitsandamusementsforit；inonemorningspentatJoey’stherewasmorerealpleasurethanin—"

"Surely