按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
attached to a young lady in Scotland； and received the
encouragement of her sympathy； mingled and connected with a fair
amount of rustic wit。 While I slept the down…mail stopped for
supper； it chanced that one of the passengers left behind a copy of
the EDINBURGH COURANT； and the next morning my pretty chambermaid
set the paper before me at breakfast； with the remark that there
was some news from my lady…love。 I took it eagerly； hoping to find
some further word of our escape； in which I was disappointed； and I
was about to lay it down； when my eye fell on a paragraph
immediately concerning me。 Faa was in hospital； grievously sick；
and warrants were out for the arrest of Sim and Candlish。 These
two men had shown themselves very loyal to me。 This trouble
emerging； the least I could do was to be guided by a similar
loyalty to them。 Suppose my visit to my uncle crowned with some
success； and my finances re…established； I determined I should
immediately return to Edinburgh； put their case in the hands of a
good lawyer； and await events。 So my mind was very lightly made up
to what proved a mighty serious matter。 Candlish and Sim were all
very well in their way； and I do sincerely trust I should have been
at some pains to help them； had there been nothing else。 But in
truth my heart and my eyes were set on quite another matter； and I
received the news of their tribulation almost with joy。 That is
never a bad wind that blows where we want to go； and you may be
sure there was nothing unwelcome in a circumstance that carried me
back to Edinburgh and Flora。 From that hour I began to indulge
myself with the making of imaginary scenes and interviews； in which
I confounded the aunt； flattered Ronald； and now in the witty； now
in the sentimental manner； declared my love and received the
assurance of its return。 By means of this exercise my resolution
daily grew stronger； until at last I had piled together such a mass
of obstinacy as it would have taken a cataclysm of nature to
subvert。
'Yes；' said I to the chambermaid； 'here is news of my lady…love
indeed； and very good news too。'
All that day； in the teeth of a keen winter wind； I hugged myself
in my plaid； and it was as though her arms were flung around me。
CHAPTER XII … I FOLLOW A COVERED CART NEARLY TO MY DESTINATION
AT last I began to draw near； by reasonable stages； to the
neighbourhood of Wakefield； and the name of Mr。 Burchell Fenn came
to the top in my memory。 This was the gentleman （the reader may
remember） who made a trade of forwarding the escape of French
prisoners。 How he did so： whether he had a sign…board； ESCAPES
FORWARDED； APPLY WITHIN； what he charged for his services； or
whether they were gratuitous and charitable； were all matters of
which I was at once ignorant and extremely curious。 Thanks to my
proficiency in English； and Mr。 Romaine's bank…notes； I was getting
on swimmingly without him； but the trouble was that I could not be
easy till I had come to the bottom of these mysteries； and it was
my difficulty that I knew nothing of him beyond the name。 I knew
not his trade beyond that of Forwarder of Escapes … whether he
lived in town or country； whether he were rich or poor； nor by what
kind of address I was to gain his confidence。 It would have a very
bad appearance to go along the highwayside asking after a man of
whom I could give so scanty an account； and I should look like a
fool； indeed； if I were to present myself at his door and find the
police in occupation！ The interest of the conundrum； however；
tempted me； and I turned aside from my direct road to pass by
Wakefield； kept my ears pricked； as I went； for any mention of his
name； and relied for the rest on my good fortune。 If Luck （who
must certainly be feminine） favoured me as far as to throw me in
the man's way； I should owe the lady a candle； if not； I could very
readily console myself。 In this experimental humour； and with so
little to help me； it was a miracle that I should have brought my
enterprise to a good end； and there are several saints in the
calendar who might be happy to exchange with St。 Ives！
I had slept that night in a good inn at Wakefield； made my
breakfast by candle…light with the passengers of an up…coach； and
set off in a very ill temper with myself and my surroundings。 It
was still early； the air raw and cold； the sun low； and soon to
disappear under a vast canopy of rain…clouds that had begun to
assemble in the north…west； and from that quarter invaded the whole
width of the heaven。 Already the rain fell in crystal rods；
already the whole face of the country sounded with the discharge of
drains and ditches； and I looked forward to a day of downpour and
the hell of wet clothes； in which particular I am as dainty as a
cat。 At a corner of the road； and by the last glint of the
drowning sun； I spied a covered cart； of a kind that I thought I
had never seen before； preceding me at the foot's pace of jaded
horses。 Anything is interesting to a pedestrian that can help him
to forget the miseries of a day of rain； and I bettered my pace and
gradually overtook the vehicle。
The nearer I came； the more it puzzled me。 It was much such a cart
as I am told the calico printers use； mounted on two wheels； and
furnished with a seat in front for the driver。 The interior closed
with a door； and was of a bigness to contain a good load of calico；
or （at a pinch and if it were necessary） four or five persons。
But； indeed； if human beings were meant to travel there； they had
my pity！ They must travel in the dark； for there was no sign of a
window； and they would be shaken all the way like a phial of
doctor's stuff； for the cart was not only ungainly to look at … it
was besides very imperfectly balanced on the one pair of wheels；
and pitched unconscionably。 Altogether； if I had any glancing idea
that the cart was really a carriage； I had soon dismissed it； but I
was still inquisitive as to what it should contain； and where it
had come from。 Wheels and horses were splashed with many different
colours of mud； as though they had come far and across a
considerable diversity of country。 The driver continually and
vainly plied his whip。 It seemed to follow they had made a long；
perhaps an all…night； stage； and that the driver； at that early
hour of a little after eight in the morning； already felt himself
belated。 I looked for the name of the proprietor on the shaft； and
started outright。 Fortune had favoured the careless： it was
Burchell Fenn！
'A wet morning； my man；' said I。
The driver； a loutish fellow； shock…headed and turnip…faced；
returned not a word to my salutation； but savagely flogged his
horses。 The tired animals； who could scarce put the one foot
before the other； paid no attention to his cruelty； and I continued