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becomes apparent that there has been a great influx since
yesterday; both of Lunatics and Keepers。 The families of the
tradesmen over the way are no longer within human ken; their places
know them no more; ten; fifteen; and twenty guinea…lodgers fill
them。 At the pastry…cook's second…floor window; a Keeper is
brushing Mr。 Thurtell's hair … thinking it his own。 In the wax…
chandler's attic; another Keeper is putting on Mr。 Palmer's braces。
In the gunsmith's nursery; a Lunatic is shaving himself。 In the
serious stationer's best sitting…room; three Lunatics are taking a
combination…breakfast; praising the (cook's) devil; and drinking
neat brandy in an atmosphere of last midnight's cigars。 No family
sanctuary is free from our Angelic messengers … we put up at the
Angel … who in the guise of extra waiters for the grand Race…Week;
rattle in and out of the most secret chambers of everybody's house;
with dishes and tin covers; decanters; soda…water bottles; and
glasses。 An hour later。 Down the street and up the street; as far
as eyes can see and a good deal farther; there is a dense crowd;
outside the Betting Rooms it is like a great struggle at a theatre
door … in the days of theatres; or at the vestibule of the Spurgeon
temple … in the days of Spurgeon。 An hour later。 Fusing into this
crowd; and somehow getting through it; are all kinds of
conveyances; and all kinds of foot…passengers; carts; with brick…
makers and brick…makeresses jolting up and down on planks; drags;
with the needful grooms behind; sitting cross…armed in the needful
manner; and slanting themselves backward from the soles of their
boots at the needful angle; postboys; in the shining hats and smart
jackets of the olden time; when stokers were not; beautiful
Yorkshire horses; gallantly driven by their own breeders and
masters。 Under every pole; and every shaft; and every horse; and
every wheel as it would seem; the Gong…donkey … metallically
braying; when not struggling for life; or whipped out of the way。
By one o'clock; all this stir has gone out of the streets; and
there is no one left in them but Francis Goodchild。 Francis
Goodchild will not be left in them long; for; he too is on his way;
't'races。'
A most beautiful sight; Francis Goodchild finds 't'races' to be;
when he has left fair Doncaster behind him; and comes out on the
free course; with its agreeable prospect; its quaint Red House
oddly changing and turning as Francis turns; its green grass; and
fresh heath。 A free course and an easy one; where Francis can roll
smoothly where he will; and can choose between the start; or the
coming…in; or the turn behind the brow of the hill; or any out…of…
the…way point where he lists to see the throbbing horses straining
every nerve; and making the sympathetic earth throb as they come
by。 Francis much delights to be; not in the Grand Stand; but where
he can see it; rising against the sky with its vast tiers of little
white dots of faces; and its last high rows and corners of people;
looking like pins stuck into an enormous pincushion … not quite so
symmetrically as his orderly eye could wish; when people change or
go away。 When the race is nearly run out; it is as good as the
race to him to see the flutter among the pins; and the change in
them from dark to light; as hats are taken off and waved。 Not less
full of interest; the loud anticipation of the winner's name; the
swelling; and the final; roar; then; the quick dropping of all the
pins out of their places; the revelation of the shape of the bare
pincushion; and the closing…in of the whole host of Lunatics and
Keepers; in the rear of the three horses with bright…coloured
riders; who have not yet quite subdued their gallop though the
contest is over。
Mr。 Goodchild would appear to have been by no means free from
lunacy himself at 't'races;' though not of the prevalent kind。 He
is suspected by Mr。 Idle to have fallen into a dreadful state
concerning a pair of little lilac gloves and a little bonnet that
he saw there。 Mr。 Idle asserts; that he did afterwards repeat at
the Angel; with an appearance of being lunatically seized; some
rhapsody to the following effect: 'O little lilac gloves! And O
winning little bonnet; making in conjunction with her golden hair
quite a Glory in the sunlight round the pretty head; why anything
in the world but you and me! Why may not this day's running…of
horses; to all the rest: of precious sands of life to me … be
prolonged through an everlasting autumn…sunshine; without a sunset!
Slave of the Lamp; or Ring; strike me yonder gallant equestrian
Clerk of the Course; in the scarlet coat; motionless on the green
grass for ages! Friendly Devil on Two Sticks; for ten times ten
thousands years; keep Blink…Bonny jibbing at the post; and let us
have no start! Arab drums; powerful of old to summon Genii in the
desert; sound of yourselves and raise a troop for me in the desert
of my heart; which shall so enchant this dusty barouche (with a
conspicuous excise…plate; resembling the Collector's door…plate at
a turnpike); that I; within it; loving the little lilac gloves; the
winning little bonnet; and the dear unknown…wearer with the golden
hair; may wait by her side for ever; to see a Great St。 Leger that
shall never be run!'
Thursday morning。 After a tremendous night of crowding; shouting;
drinking…house expectoration; Gong…donkey; and correct cards。
Symptoms of yesterday's gains in the way of drink; and of
yesterday's losses in the way of money; abundant。 Money…losses
very great。 As usual; nobody seems to have won; but; large losses
and many losers are unquestionable facts。 Both Lunatics and
Keepers; in general very low。 Several of both kinds look in at the
chemist's while Mr。 Goodchild is making a purchase there; to be
'picked up。' One red…eyed Lunatic; flushed; faded; and disordered;
enters hurriedly and cries savagely; 'Hond us a gloss of sal
volatile in wather; or soom dommed thing o' thot sart!' Faces at
the Betting Rooms very long; and a tendency to bite nails
observable。 Keepers likewise given this morning to standing about
solitary; with their hands in their pockets; looking down at their
boots as they fit them into cracks of the pavement; and then
looking up whistling and walking away。 Grand Alliance Circus out;
in procession; buxom lady…member of Grand Alliance; in crimson
riding…habit; fresher to look at; even in her paint under the day
sky; than the cheeks of Lunatics or Keepers。 Spanish Cavalier
appears to have lost yesterday; and jingles his bossed bridle with
disgust; as if he were paying。 Reaction also apparent at the
Guildhall opposite; whence certain pickpockets come out handcuffed
together; with that peculiar walk which is never seen under any
other circumstances … a walk expressive of going to jail; game; but
still of jails being in bad taste and arbitrary; and how would YOU
like it if it was you instead of me; as