lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第4章

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and　farther　ahead　of　him。　　He　saw　them　cross　the　stream　and

disappear　round　a　projection　on　its　banks。　　He　heard　them　shout　the

moment　after　as　a　signal　that　they　had　halted　and　were　waiting　for

him。　　Answering　the　shout；　he　mended　his　pace；　crossed　the　stream

where　they　had　crossed　it；　and　was　within　one　step　of　the　opposite

bank；　when　his　foot　slipped　on　a　wet　stone；　his　weak　ankle　gave　a

twist　outwards；　a　hot；　rending；　tearing　pain　ran　through　it　at　the

same　moment；　and　down　fell　the　idlest　of　the　Two　Idle　Apprentices；

crippled　in　an　instant。



The　situation　was　now；　in　plain　terms；　one　of　absolute　danger。

There　lay　Mr。　Idle　writhing　with　pain；　there　was　the　mist　as　thick

as　ever；　there　was　the　landlord　as　completely　lost　as　the　strangers

whom　he　was　conducting；　and　there　was　the　compass　broken　in

Goodchild's　pocket。　　To　leave　the　wretched　Thomas　on　unknown　ground

was　plainly　impossible；　and　to　get　him　to　walk　with　a　badly

sprained　ankle　seemed　equally　out　of　the　question。　　However；

Goodchild　（brought　back　by　his　cry　for　help）　bandaged　the　ankle

with　a　pocket…handkerchief；　and　assisted　by　the　landlord；　raised

the　crippled　Apprentice　to　his　legs；　offered　him　a　shoulder　to　lean

on；　and　exhorted　him　for　the　sake　of　the　whole　party　to　try　if　he

could　walk。　　Thomas；　assisted　by　the　shoulder　on　one　side；　and　a

stick　on　the　other；　did　try；　with　what　pain　and　difficulty　those

only　can　imagine　who　have　sprained　an　ankle　and　have　had　to　tread

on　it　afterwards。　　At　a　pace　adapted　to　the　feeble　hobbling　of　a

newly…lamed　man；　the　lost　party　moved　on；　perfectly　ignorant

whether　they　were　on　the　right　side　of　the　mountain　or　the　wrong；

and　equally　uncertain　how　long　Idle　would　be　able　to　contend　with

the　pain　in　his　ankle；　before　he　gave　in　altogether　and　fell　down

again；　unable　to　stir　another　step。



Slowly　and　more　slowly；　as　the　clog　of　crippled　Thomas　weighed

heavily　and　more　heavily　on　the　march　of　the　expedition；　the　lost

travellers　followed　the　windings　of　the　stream；　till　they　came　to　a

faintly…marked　cart…track；　branching　off　nearly　at　right　angles；　to

the　left。　　After　a　little　consultation　it　was　resolved　to　follow

this　dim　vestige　of　a　road　in　the　hope　that　it　might　lead　to　some

farm　or　cottage；　at　which　Idle　could　be　left　in　safety。　　It　was　now

getting　on　towards　the　afternoon；　and　it　was　fast　becoming　more

than　doubtful　whether　the　party；　delayed　in　their　progress　as　they

now　were；　might　not　be　overtaken　by　the　darkness　before　the　right

route　was　found；　and　be　condemned　to　pass　the　night　on　the

mountain；　without　bit　or　drop　to　comfort　them；　in　their　wet

clothes。



The　cart…track　grew　fainter　and　fainter；　until　it　was　washed　out

altogether　by　another　little　stream；　dark；　turbulent；　and　rapid。

The　landlord　suggested；　judging　by　the　colour　of　the　water；　that　it

must　be　flowing　from　one　of　the　lead　mines　in　the　neighbourhood　of

Carrock；　and　the　travellers　accordingly　kept　by　the　stream　for　a

little　while；　in　the　hope　of　possibly　wandering　towards　help　in

that　way。　　After　walking　forward　about　two　hundred　yards；　they　came

upon　a　mine　indeed；　but　a　mine；　exhausted　and　abandoned；　a　dismal；

ruinous　place；　with　nothing　but　the　wreck　of　its　works　and

buildings　left　to　speak　for　it。　　Here；　there　were　a　few　sheep

feeding。　　The　landlord　looked　at　them　earnestly；　thought　he

recognised　the　marks　on　them　…　then　thought　he　did　not　…　finally

gave　up　the　sheep　in　despair　…　and　walked　on　just　as　ignorant　of

the　whereabouts　of　the　party　as　ever。



The　march　in　the　dark；　literally　as　well　as　metaphorically　in　the

dark；　had　now　been　continued　for　three…quarters　of　an　hour　from　the

time　when　the　crippled　Apprentice　had　met　with　his　accident。　　Mr。

Idle；　with　all　the　will　to　conquer　the　pain　in　his　ankle；　and　to

hobble　on；　found　the　power　rapidly　failing　him；　and　felt　that

another　ten　minutes　at　most　would　find　him　at　the　end　of　his　last

physical　resources。　　He　had　just　made　up　his　mind　on　this　point；

and　was　about　to　communicate　the　dismal　result　of　his　reflections

to　his　companions；　when　the　mist　suddenly　brightened；　and　begun　to

lift　straight　ahead。　　In　another　minute；　the　landlord；　who　was　in

advance；　proclaimed　that　he　saw　a　tree。　　Before　long；　other　trees

appeared　…　then　a　cottage　…　then　a　house　beyond　the　cottage；　and　a

familiar　line　of　road　rising　behind　it。　　Last　of　all；　Carrock

itself　loomed　darkly　into　view；　far　away　to　the　right　hand。　　The

party　had　not　only　got　down　the　mountain　without　knowing　how；　but

had　wandered　away　from　it　in　the　mist；　without　knowing　why　…　away；

far　down　on　the　very　moor　by　which　they　had　approached　the　base　of

Carrock　that　morning。



The　happy　lifting　of　the　mist；　and　the　still　happier　discovery　that

the　travellers　had　groped　their　way；　though　by　a　very　roundabout

direction；　to　within　a　mile　or　so　of　the　part　of　the　valley　in

which　the　farm…house　was　situated；　restored　Mr。　Idle's　sinking

spirits　and　reanimated　his　failing　strength。　　While　the　landlord

ran　off　to　get　the　dog…cart；　Thomas　was　assisted　by　Goodchild　to

the　cottage　which　had　been　the　first　building　seen　when　the

darkness　brightened；　and　was　propped　up　against　the　garden　wall；

like　an　artist's　lay　figure　waiting　to　be　forwarded；　until　the　dog…

cart　should　arrive　from　the　farm…house　below。　　In　due　time　…　and　a

very　long　time　it　seemed　to　Mr。　Idle　…　the　rattle　of　wheels　was

heard；　and　the　crippled　Apprentice　was　lifted　into　the　seat。　　As

the　dog…cart　was　driven　back　to　the　inn；　the　landlord　related　an

anecdote　which　he　had　just　heard　at　the　farm…house；　of　an　unhappy

man　who　had　been　lost；　like　his　two　guests　and　himself；　on　Carrock；

who　had　passed　the　night　there　alone；　who　had　been　found　the　next

morning；　'scared　and　starved；'　and　who　never　went　out　afterwards；

except　on　his　way　to　the　grave。　　Mr。　Idle　heard　this　sad　story；　and

derived　at　least　one　useful　impression　from　it。　　Bad　as　the　pain　in

his　ankle　was；　he　contrived　to　bear　it　patiently；　for　he　felt

grateful　that　a　worse　accident　had　not　befallen　him　in　the　wilds　of

Carrock。







CHAPTER　II







The　dog…cart；　with　Mr。　Thomas　Idle　and　his　ankle　on　the　hanging

seat　behind；　Mr。　Francis　Goodchild　and　the　Innkeeper　in　front；　and

the　rain　in　spouts　and　splashes　everywhere；　made　the　best　of　its

way　back　to　the　little　inn；　the　broken　moor　country　looking　like

miles　upon　miles　of　Pre…Adamite　sop；　or　the　ruins　of　some　enormous

jorum　of　antediluvian　toast…and…water。　　The　trees　dripped；　the

eaves　of　the　scattered　cottages　dripped；　the　barren　stone　walls

dividing　the　land；　dripped；　the　yelping　dogs　dripped；　carts　and

waggons　under　ill…roofed　penthouses；　dripped；　melancholy　cocks　and

hens　perching　on　their　shafts；　or　seeking　shelter　underneath　them；

dripped；　Mr。　Goodchild　dripped；　Thomas　Idle　dripped；　the　Inn…keeper

dripped；　the　mare　dripped；　the　vast　curtains　of　mist　and　cloud

passed　before　the　shadowy　forms　of　the　hills；　streamed　water　as

they　were　drawn　across　the　landscape。　　Down　such　steep　pitches　that

the　mare　seemed　to　be　trotting　on　her　head；　and　up　such　steep

pitches　that　she　seemed　to　have　a　supplementary　leg　in　her　tail；

the　dog…cart　jolted　and　tilted　back　to　the　village。　　It　was　too　wet

for　the　women　to　look　out；　it　was　too　wet　even　for　the　children　to

look　out；　all　the　doors　and　windows　were　closed；　and　the　only　sign

of　life　or　motion　was　in　the　rain…punctured　puddles。



Whiskey　and　oil　to　Thomas　Idle's　ankle；　and　whiskey　without　oil　to

Francis　Goodchild's　stomach；　produced　an　agreeable　change　in　the

systems　of　both；　soothing　Mr。　Idle's　pain；　which　was　sharp　before；

and　sweetening　Mr。　Goodchild's　temper；　which　was　sweet　before。

Portmanteaus　being　then　opened　and　clothes　changed；　Mr。　Goodchild；

through　having　no　change　of　outer　garments　but　broadcloth　and

velvet；　suddenly　became　a　magnificent　portent　in　the　Innkeeper's

house；　a　shining　frontispiece　to　the　fashions　for　the　month；　and　a

frightful　anomaly　in　the　Cumberland　village。



Greatly　ashamed　of　his　splendid　appearance；　the　conscious　Goodchild

quenched　it　as　much　as　possible；　in　the　shadow　of　Thomas　Idle's

ankle；　and　in　a　corner　of　the　little　covered　carriage　that　started

with　them　for　Wigton　…　a　most　desirable　carriage　for　any　country；

except　for　its　having　a　flat　roof　and　no　sides；　which　caused　the

plumps　of　rain　accumulating　on　the　roof　to　play　vigorous　games　of

bagatelle　into　the　interior　all　the　way；　and　to　score　immensely。

It　was　comfortable　to　see　how　the　people　coming　back　in　open　carts

from　Wigton　market　made　no　more　of　the　rain　than　if　it　were

sunshine；　how　the　Wigton　policeman　taking　a　country　walk　of　half…a…

dozen　miles　（apparently　for　pleasure）；　in　resplendent　uniform；

accepted　saturation　as　his　normal　state；　how　clerks　and

schoolmasters　in　black；　loitered　along　the　road　without　umbrellas；

getting　varnished　at　every　step；　how　the　Cumberland　girls；　coming

out　to　look　after　the　Cumberland　cows；　shook　the　rain　from　their

eyelashes　and　laughed　it　away；　and　how　the　rain　continued　to　fall

upon　all；　as　it　only　does　fall　in　hill　countries。



Wigton　market　was　over；　and　its　bare　booths　were　smoking　with　rain

all　down　the　street。　　Mr。　Thomas　Idle；　melodramatically　carried　to

the　inn's　first　floor；　and　laid　upon　three　chairs　（he　should　have

had　the　sofa；　if　there　had　been　one）；　Mr。　Goodchild　went　to　the

window　to　take　an　observation　of　Wigton；　and　report　what　he　saw　to

his　disabled　companion。



'Brother　Francis；　brother　Francis；'　cried　Thomas　Idle；　'What　do　you

see　from　the　turret？'



'I　see；'　said　Brother　Francis；　'what　I　hope　and　believe　to　be　one

of　the　most　dismal　places　ever　seen　by　eyes。　　I　see　the　houses　with

their　roofs　of　dull　black；　their　stained　fronts；　and　their　dark…

rimmed　windows；　looking　as　if　they　were　all　in　mourning。　　As　every

little　puff　of　wind　comes　down　the　street；　I　see　a　perfect　train　of

rain　let　off　along　the　wooden　stalls　in　the　market…place　and

exploded　against　me。　　I　see　a　very　big　gas　lamp　in　the　centre　which

I　know；　by　a　secret　instinct；　will　not　be　lighted　to…night。　　I　see

a　pump；　with　a　trivet　underneath　its　spout　whereon　to　stand　the

vessels　that　are　brought　to　be　filled　with　water。　　I　see　a　man　come

to　pump；　and　he　pumps　very　hard；　but　no　water　follows；　and　he

strolls　empty　away。'



'Brother　Francis；　brother　Francis；'　cried　Thomas　Idle；　'what　more

do　you　see　from　the　turret；　besides　the　man　and　the　pump；　and　the

trivet　and　the　houses　all　in　mourning　and　the　rain？'



'I　see；'　said　Brother　Francis；　'one；　two；　three；　four；　five；　linen…

drapers'　shops　in　front　of　me。　　I　see　a　linen…draper's　shop　next

door　to　the　right　…　and　there　are　five　more　linen…drapers'　shops

down　the　corner　to　the　left。　　Eleven　homicidal　linen…drapers'　shops

within　a　short　stone's　throw；　each　with　its　hands　at　the　throats　of

all　the　rest！　　Over　the　small　first…floor　of　one　of　these　linen…

drapers'　shops　appears　the