the seven poor travellers-第2章

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of　the　Old　Castle；　and　looked　over　the　windy　hills　that　slope　down

to　the　Medway；　almost　believing　that　I　could　descry　some　of　my

Travellers　in　the　distance。　　After　it　fell　dark；　and　the　Cathedral

bell　was　heard　in　the　invisible　steeplequite　a　bower　of　frosty

rime　when　I　had　last　seen　itstriking　five；　six；　seven；　I　became　so

full　of　my　Travellers　that　I　could　eat　no　dinner；　and　felt

constrained　to　watch　them　still　in　the　red　coals　of　my　fire。　　They

were　all　arrived　by　this　time；　I　thought；　had　got　their　tickets；　and

were　gone　in。There　my　pleasure　was　dashed　by　the　reflection　that

probably　some　Travellers　had　come　too　late　and　were　shut　out。



After　the　Cathedral　bell　had　struck　eight；　I　could　smell　a　delicious

savour　of　Turkey　and　Roast　Beef　rising　to　the　window　of　my　adjoining

bedroom；　which　looked　down　into　the　inn…yard　just　where　the　lights

of　the　kitchen　reddened　a　massive　fragment　of　the　Castle　Wall。　　It

was　high　time　to　make　the　Wassail　now；　therefore　I　had　up　the

materials　（which；　together　with　their　proportions　and　combinations；

I　must　decline　to　impart；　as　the　only　secret　of　my　own　I　was　ever

known　to　keep）；　and　made　a　glorious　jorum。　　Not　in　a　bowl；　for　a

bowl　anywhere　but　on　a　shelf　is　a　low　superstition；　fraught　with

cooling　and　slopping；　but　in　a　brown　earthenware　pitcher；　tenderly

suffocated；　when　full；　with　a　coarse　cloth。　　It　being　now　upon　the

stroke　of　nine；　I　set　out　for　Watts's　Charity；　carrying　my　brown

beauty　in　my　arms。　　I　would　trust　Ben；　the　waiter；　with　untold　gold；

but　there　are　strings　in　the　human　heart　which　must　never　be　sounded

by　another；　and　drinks　that　I　make　myself　are　those　strings　in　mine。



The　Travellers　were　all　assembled；　the　cloth　was　laid；　and　Ben　had

brought　a　great　billet　of　wood；　and　had　laid　it　artfully　on　the　top

of　the　fire；　so　that　a　touch　or　two　of　the　poker　after　supper　should

make　a　roaring　blaze。　　Having　deposited　my　brown　beauty　in　a　red

nook　of　the　hearth；　inside　the　fender；　where　she　soon　began　to　sing

like　an　ethereal　cricket；　diffusing　at　the　same　time　odours　as　of

ripe　vineyards；　spice　forests；　and　orange　groves；I　say；　having

stationed　my　beauty　in　a　place　of　security　and　improvement；　I

introduced　myself　to　my　guests　by　shaking　hands　all　round；　and

giving　them　a　hearty　welcome。



I　found　the　party　to　be　thus　composed。　　Firstly；　myself。　　Secondly；

a　very　decent　man　indeed；　with　his　right　arm　in　a　sling；　who　had　a

certain　clean　agreeable　smell　of　wood　about　him；　from　which　I　judged

him　to　have　something　to　do　with　shipbuilding。　　Thirdly；　a　little

sailor…boy；　a　mere　child；　with　a　profusion　of　rich　dark　brown　hair；

and　deep　womanly…looking　eyes。　　Fourthly；　a　shabby…genteel　personage

in　a　threadbare　black　suit；　and　apparently　in　very　bad

circumstances；　with　a　dry　suspicious　look；　the　absent　buttons　on　his

waistcoat　eked　out　with　red　tape；　and　a　bundle　of　extraordinarily

tattered　papers　sticking　out　of　an　inner　breast…pocket。　　Fifthly；　a

foreigner　by　birth；　but　an　Englishman　in　speech；　who　carried　his

pipe　in　the　band　of　his　hat；　and　lost　no　time　in　telling　me；　in　an

easy；　simple；　engaging　way；　that　he　was　a　watchmaker　from　Geneva；

and　travelled　all　about　the　Continent；　mostly　on　foot；　working　as　a

journeyman；　and　seeing　new　countries；possibly　（I　thought）　also

smuggling　a　watch　or　so；　now　and　then。　　Sixthly；　a　little　widow；　who

had　been　very　pretty　and　was　still　very　young；　but　whose　beauty　had

been　wrecked　in　some　great　misfortune；　and　whose　manner　was

remarkably　timid；　scared；　and　solitary。　　Seventhly　and　lastly；　a

Traveller　of　a　kind　familiar　to　my　boyhood；　but　now　almost

obsolete；a　Book…Pedler；　who　had　a　quantity　of　Pamphlets　and

Numbers　with　him；　and　who　presently　boasted　that　he　could　repeat

more　verses　in　an　evening　than　he　could　sell　in　a　twelvemonth。



All　these　I　have　mentioned　in　the　order　in　which　they　sat　at　table。

I　presided；　and　the　matronly　presence　faced　me。　　We　were　not　long　in

taking　our　places；　for　the　supper　had　arrived　with　me；　in　the

following　procession：





Myself　with　the　pitcher。

Ben　with　Beer。

Inattentive　Boy　with　hot　plates。　　Inattentive　Boy　with　hot　plates。

THE　TURKEY。

Female　carrying　sauces　to　be　heated　on　the　spot。

THE　BEEF。

Man　with　Tray　on　his　head；　containing　Vegetables　and　Sundries。

Volunteer　Hostler　from　Hotel；　grinning；

And　rendering　no　assistance。





As　we　passed　along　the　High　Street；　comet…like；　we　left　a　long　tail

of　fragrance　behind　us　which　caused　the　public　to　stop；　sniffing　in

wonder。　　We　had　previously　left　at　the　corner　of　the　inn…yard　a

wall…eyed　young　man　connected　with　the　Fly　department；　and　well

accustomed　to　the　sound　of　a　railway　whistle　which　Ben　always

carries　in　his　pocket；　whose　instructions　were；　so　soon　as　he　should

hear　the　whistle　blown；　to　dash　into　the　kitchen；　seize　the　hot

plum…pudding　and　mince…pies；　and　speed　with　them　to　Watts's　Charity；

where　they　would　be　received　（he　was　further　instructed）　by　the

sauce…female；　who　would　be　provided　with　brandy　in　a　blue　state　of

combustion。



All　these　arrangements　were　executed　in　the　most　exact　and　punctual

manner。　　I　never　saw　a　finer　turkey；　finer　beef；　or　greater

prodigality　of　sauce　and　gravy；and　my　Travellers　did　wonderful

justice　to　everything　set　before　them。　　It　made　my　heart　rejoice　to

observe　how　their　wind　and　frost　hardened　faces　softened　in　the

clatter　of　plates　and　knives　and　forks；　and　mellowed　in　the　fire　and

supper　heat。　　While　their　hats　and　caps　and　wrappers；　hanging　up；　a

few　small　bundles　on　the　ground　in　a　corner；　and　in　another　corner

three　or　four　old　walking…sticks；　worn　down　at　the　end　to　mere

fringe；　linked　this　smug　interior　with　the　bleak　outside　in　a　golden

chain。



When　supper　was　done；　and　my　brown　beauty　had　been　elevated　on　the

table；　there　was　a　general　requisition　to　me　to　〃take　the　corner；〃

which　suggested　to　me　comfortably　enough　how　much　my　friends　here

made　of　a　fire；for　when　had　I　ever　thought　so　highly　of　the

corner；　since　the　days　when　I　connected　it　with　Jack　Horner？

However；　as　I　declined；　Ben；　whose　touch　on　all　convivial

instruments　is　perfect；　drew　the　table　apart；　and　instructing　my

Travellers　to　open　right　and　left　on　either　side　of　me；　and　form

round　the　fire；　closed　up　the　centre　with　myself　and　my　chair；　and

preserved　the　order　we　had　kept　at　table。　　He　had　already；　in　a

tranquil　manner；　boxed　the　ears　of　the　inattentive　boys　until　they

had　been　by　imperceptible　degrees　boxed　out　of　the　room；　and　he　now

rapidly　skirmished　the　sauce…female　into　the　High　Street；

disappeared；　and　softly　closed　the　door。



This　was　the　time　for　bringing　the　poker　to　bear　on　the　billet　of

wood。　　I　tapped　it　three　times；　like　an　enchanted　talisman；　and　a

brilliant　host　of　merry…makers　burst　out　of　it；　and　sported　off　by

the　chimney；rushing　up　the　middle　in　a　fiery　country　dance；　and

never　coming　down　again。　　Meanwhile；　by　their　sparkling　light；　which

threw　our　lamp　into　the　shade；　I　filled　the　glasses；　and　gave　my

Travellers；　CHRISTMAS！CHRISTMAS…EVE；　my　friends；　when　the

shepherds；　who　were　Poor　Travellers；　too；　in　their　way；　heard　the

Angels　sing；　〃On　earth；　peace。　　Good…will　towards　men！〃



I　don't　know　who　was　the　first　among　us　to　think　that　we　ought　to

take　hands　as　we　sat；　in　deference　to　the　toast；　or　whether　any　one

of　us　anticipated　the　others；　but　at　any　rate　we　all　did　it。　　We

then　drank　to　the　memory　of　the　good　Master　Richard　Watts。　　And　I

wish　his　Ghost　may　never　have　had　worse　usage　under　that　roof　than

it　had　from　us。



It　was　the　witching　time　for　Story…telling。　　〃Our　whole　life；

Travellers；〃　said　I；　〃is　a　story　more　or　less　intelligible；

generally　less；　but　we　shall　read　it　by　a　clearer　light　when　it　is

ended。　　I；　for　one；　am　so　divided　this　night　between　fact　and

fiction；　that　I　scarce　know　which　is　which。　　Shall　I　beguile　the

time　by　telling　you　a　story　as　we　sit　here？〃



They　all　answered；　yes。　　I　had　little　to　tell　them；　but　I　was　bound

by　my　own　proposal。　　Therefore；　after　looking　for　awhile　at　the

spiral　column　of　smoke　wreathing　up　from　my　brown　beauty；　through

which　I　could　have　almost　sworn　I　saw　the　effigy　of　Master　Richard

Watts　less　startled　than　usual；　I　fired　away。







CHAPTER　IITHE　STORY　OF　RICHARD　DOUBLEDICK







In　the　year　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　ninety…nine；　a　relative

of　mine　came　limping　down；　on　foot；　to　this　town　of　Chatham。　　I　call

it　this　town；　because　if　anybody　present　knows　to　a　nicety　where

Rochester　ends　and　Chatham　begins；　it　is　more　than　I　do。　　He　was　a

poor　traveller；　with　not　a　farthing　in　his　pocket。　　He　sat　by　the

fire　in　this　very　room；　and　he　slept　one　night　in　a　bed　that　will　be

occupied　tonight　by　some　one　here。



My　relative　came　down　to　Chatham　to　enlist　in　a　cavalry　regiment；　if

a　cavalry　regiment　would　have　him；　if　not；　to　take　King　George's

shilling　from　any　corporal　or　sergeant　who　would　put　a　bunch　of

ribbons　in　his　hat。　　His　object　was　to　get　shot；　but　he　thought　he

might　as　well　ride　to　death　as　be　at　the　trouble　of　walking。



My　relative's　Christian　name　was　Richard；　but　he　was　better　known　as

Dick。　　He　dropped　his　own　surname　on　the　road　down；　and　took　up　that

of　Doubledick。　　He　was　passed　as　Richard　Doubledick；　age；　twenty…

two；　height；　five　foot　ten；　native　place；　Exmouth；　which　he　had

never　been　near　in　his　life。　　There　was　no　cavalry　in　Chatham　when

he　limped　over　the　bridge　here　with　half　a　shoe　to　his　dusty　feet；

so　he　enlisted　into　a　regiment　of　the　line；　and　was　glad　to　get

drunk　and　forget　all　about　it。



You　are　to　know　that　this　relative　of　mine　had　gone　wrong；　and　run

wild。　　His　heart　was　in　the　right　place；　but　it　was　sealed　up。　　He

had　been　betrothed　to　a　good　and　beautiful　girl；　whom　he　had　loved

better　than　sheor　perhaps　even　hebelieved；　but　in　an　evil　hour

he　had　given　her　cause　to　say　to　him　solemnly；　〃Richard；　I　will

never　marry　another　man。　　I　will　live　single　for　your　sake；　but　Mary

Marshall's　lips〃her　name　was　Mary　Marshall〃never　address　another

word　to　you　on　earth。　　Go；　Richard！　　Heaven　forgive　you！〃　　This

finished　him。　　This　brought　him　down　to　Chatham。　　This　made　him

Private　Richard　Doubledick；　with　a　determination　to　be　shot。



There　was　not　a　more　dissipated　and　reckless　soldier　in　Chatham

barracks；　in　the　year　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　ninety…nine；

than　Private　Richard　Doubledick。　　He　associated　with　the　dregs　of

every　regiment；　he　was　as　seldom　sober　as　he　could　be；　and　was

constantly　under　punishment。　　It　became　clear　to　the　whole　barracks

that　Private　Richard　Doubledick　would　very　soon　be　flogged。



Now　the　Captain　of　Richard　Doubledick's　company　was　a　young

gentleman　not　above　five　years　his　senior；　whose　eyes　had　an

expression　in　them　which　affected　Private　Richard　Doubledick　in　a

very　remarkable　way。　　They　were　bright；　handsome；　dark　eyes；what

are　called　laughing　eyes　genera