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at grand prices； ranging from ten pounds to twenty； for the Grand
Race…Week！
Rendered giddy enough by these things； Messieurs Idle and Goodchild
repaired to the quarters they had secured beforehand； and Mr。
Goodchild looked down from the window into the surging street。
'By Heaven； Tom！' cried he； after contemplating it； 'I am in the
Lunatic Asylum again； and these are all mad people under the charge
of a body of designing keepers！'
All through the Race…Week； Mr。 Goodchild never divested himself of
this idea。 Every day he looked out of window； with something of
the dread of Lemuel Gulliver looking down at men after he returned
home from the horse…country； and every day he saw the Lunatics；
horse…mad； betting…mad； drunken…mad； vice…mad； and the designing
Keepers always after them。 The idea pervaded； like the second
colour in shot…silk； the whole of Mr。 Goodchild's impressions。
They were much as follows：
Monday； mid…day。 Races not to begin until to…morrow； but all the
mob…Lunatics out； crowding the pavements of the one main street of
pretty and pleasant Doncaster； crowding the road； particularly
crowding the outside of the Betting Rooms； whooping and shouting
loudly after all passing vehicles。 Frightened lunatic horses
occasionally running away； with infinite clatter。 All degrees of
men； from peers to paupers； betting incessantly。 Keepers very
watchful； and taking all good chances。 An awful family likeness
among the Keepers； to Mr。 Palmer and Mr。 Thurtell。 With some
knowledge of expression and some acquaintance with heads （thus
writes Mr。 Goodchild）； I never have seen anywhere； so many
repetitions of one class of countenance and one character of head
（both evil） as in this street at this time。 Cunning； covetousness；
secrecy； cold calculation； hard callousness and dire insensibility；
are the uniform Keeper characteristics。 Mr。 Palmer passes me five
times in five minutes； and； so I go down the street； the back of
Mr。 Thurtell's skull is always going on before me。
Monday evening。 Town lighted up； more Lunatics out than ever； a
complete choke and stoppage of the thoroughfare outside the Betting
Rooms。 Keepers； having dined； pervade the Betting Rooms； and
sharply snap at the moneyed Lunatics。 Some Keepers flushed with
drink； and some not； but all close and calculating。 A vague
echoing roar of 't'harses' and 't'races' always rising in the air；
until midnight； at about which period it dies away in occasional
drunken songs and straggling yells。 But； all night； some
unmannerly drinking…house in the neighbourhood opens its mouth at
intervals and spits out a man too drunk to be retained： who
thereupon makes what uproarious protest may be left in him； and
either falls asleep where he tumbles； or is carried off in custody。
Tuesday morning； at daybreak。 A sudden rising； as it were out of
the earth； of all the obscene creatures； who sell 'correct cards of
the races。' They may have been coiled in corners； or sleeping on
door…steps； and； having all passed the night under the same set of
circumstances； may all want to circulate their blood at the same
time； but； however that may be； they spring into existence all at
once and together； as though a new Cadmus had sown a race…horse's
teeth。 There is nobody up； to buy the cards； but； the cards are
madly cried。 There is no patronage to quarrel for； but； they madly
quarrel and fight。 Conspicuous among these hyaenas； as breakfast…
time discloses； is a fearful creature in the general semblance of a
man： shaken off his next…to…no legs by drink and devilry； bare…
headed and bare…footed； with a great shock of hair like a horrible
broom； and nothing on him but a ragged pair of trousers and a pink
glazed…calico coat … made on him … so very tight that it is as
evident that he could never take it off； as that he never does。
This hideous apparition； inconceivably drunk； has a terrible power
of making a gong…like imitation of the braying of an ass： which
feat requires that he should lay his right jaw in his begrimed
right paw； double himself up； and shake his bray out of himself；
with much staggering on his next…to…no legs； and much twirling of
his horrible broom； as if it were a mop。 From the present minute；
when he comes in sight holding up his cards to the windows； and
hoarsely proposing purchase to My Lord； Your Excellency； Colonel；
the Noble Captain； and Your Honourable Worship … from the present
minute until the Grand Race…Week is finished； at all hours of the
morning； evening； day； and night； shall the town reverberate； at
capricious intervals； to the brays of this frightful animal the
Gong…donkey。
No very great racing to…day； so no very great amount of vehicles：
though there is a good sprinkling； too： from farmers' carts and
gigs； to carriages with post…horses and to fours…in…hand； mostly
coming by the road from York； and passing on straight through the
main street to the Course。 A walk in the wrong direction may be a
better thing for Mr。 Goodchild to…day than the Course； so he walks
in the wrong direction。 Everybody gone to the races。 Only
children in the street。 Grand Alliance Circus deserted； not one
Star…Rider left； omnibus which forms the Pay…Place； having on
separate panels Pay here for the Boxes； Pay here for the Pit； Pay
here for the Gallery； hove down in a corner and locked up； nobody
near the tent but the man on his knees on the grass； who is making
the paper balloons for the Star young gentlemen to jump through to…
night。 A pleasant road； pleasantly wooded。 No labourers working
in the fields； all gone 't'races。' The few late wenders of their
way 't'races；' who are yet left driving on the road； stare in
amazement at the recluse who is not going 't'races。' Roadside
innkeeper has gone 't'races。' Turnpike…man has gone 't'races。'
His thrifty wife； washing clothes at the toll…house door； is going
't'races' to…morrow。 Perhaps there may be no one left to take the
toll to…morrow； who knows？ Though assuredly that would be neither
turnpike…like nor Yorkshire…like。 The very wind and dust seem to
be hurrying 't'races；' as they briskly pass the only wayfarer on
the road。 In the distance； the Railway Engine； waiting at the
town…end； shrieks despairingly。 Nothing but the difficulty of
getting off the Line； restrains that Engine from going 't'races；'
too； it is very clear。
At night； more Lunatics out than last night … and more Keepers。
The latter very active at the Betting Rooms； the street in front of
which is now impassable。 Mr。 Palmer as before。 Mr。 Thurtell as
before。 Roar and uproar as before。 Gradual subsidence as before。
Unmannerly drinking…house expectorates as before。 Drunken negro…
melodists； Gong…donkey； and correct cards； in the night。
On Wednesday morning； the morning of the great St。 Leger； it
becomes apparent that there has been a great influx since
yesterday； both of Lunatics and Keepers。 The famil