the uncommercial traveller-第39部分

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monster　of　a　tunnel　kept　its　jaws　open；　as　if　it　had　swallowed　them

and　were　ravenous　for　more　destruction。　　The　coach　that　had　carried

me　away；　was　melodiously　called　Timpson's　Blue…Eyed　Maid；　and

belonged　to　Timpson；　at　the　coach…office　up…street；　the　locomotive

engine　that　had　brought　me　back；　was　called　severely　No。　97；　and

belonged　to　S。E。R。；　and　was　spitting　ashes　and　hot　water　over　the

blighted　ground。



When　I　had　been　let　out　at　the　platform…door；　like　a　prisoner　whom

his　turnkey　grudgingly　released；　I　looked　in　again　over　the　low

wall；　at　the　scene　of　departed　glories。　　Here；　in　the　haymaking

time；　had　I　been　delivered　from　the　dungeons　of　Seringapatam；　an

immense　pile　（of　haycock）；　by　my　own　countrymen；　the　victorious

British　（boy　next　door　and　his　two　cousins）；　and　had　been

recognised　with　ecstasy　by　my　affianced　one　（Miss　Green）；　who　had

come　all　the　way　from　England　（second　house　in　the　terrace）　to

ransom　me；　and　marry　me。　　Here；　had　I　first　heard　in　confidence；

from　one　whose　father　was　greatly　connected；　being　under

Government；　of　the　existence　of　a　terrible　banditti；　called　'The

Radicals；'　whose　principles　were；　that　the　Prince　Regent　wore

stays；　and　that　nobody　had　a　right　to　any　salary；　and　that　the　army

and　navy　ought　to　be　put　down　…　horrors　at　which　I　trembled　in　my

bed；　after　supplicating　that　the　Radicals　might　be　speedily　taken

and　hanged。　　Here；　too；　had　we；　the　small　boys　of　Boles's；　had　that

cricket　match　against　the　small　boys　of　Coles's；　when　Boles　and

Coles　had　actually　met　upon　the　ground；　and　when；　instead　of

instantly　hitting　out　at　one　another　with　the　utmost　fury；　as　we

had　all　hoped　and　expected；　those　sneaks　had　said　respectively；　'I

hope　Mrs。　Boles　is　well；'　and　'I　hope　Mrs。　Coles　and　the　baby　are

doing　charmingly。'　　Could　it　be　that；　after　all　this；　and　much

more；　the　Playing…field　was　a　Station；　and　No。　97　expectorated

boiling　water　and　redhot　cinders　on　it；　and　the　whole　belonged　by

Act　of　Parliament　to　S。E。R。？



As　it　could　be；　and　was；　I　left　the　place　with　a　heavy　heart　for　a

walk　all　over　the　town。　　And　first　of　Timpson's　up…street。　　When　I

departed　from　Dullborough　in　the　strawy　arms　of　Timpson's　Blue…Eyed

Maid；　Timpson's　was　a　moderate…sized　coach…office　（in　fact；　a

little　coach…office）；　with　an　oval　transparency　in　the　window；

which　looked　beautiful　by　night；　representing　one　of　Timpson's

coaches　in　the　act　of　passing　a　milestone　on　the　London　road　with

great　velocity；　completely　full　inside　and　out；　and　all　the

passengers　dressed　in　the　first　style　of　fashion；　and　enjoying

themselves　tremendously。　　I　found　no　such　place　as　Timpson's　now　…

no　such　bricks　and　rafters；　not　to　mention　the　name　…　no　such

edifice　on　the　teeming　earth。　　Pickford　had　come　and　knocked

Timpson's　down。　　Pickford　had　not　only　knocked　Timpson's　down；　but

had　knocked　two　or　three　houses　down　on　each　side　of　Timpson's；　and

then　had　knocked　the　whole　into　one　great　establishment　with　a　pair

of　big　gates；　in　and　out　of　which；　his　（Pickford's）　waggons　are；　in

these　days；　always　rattling；　with　their　drivers　sitting　up　so　high；

that　they　look　in　at　the　second…floor　windows　of　the　old…fashioned

houses　in　the　High…street　as　they　shake　the　town。　　I　have　not　the

honour　of　Pickford's　acquaintance；　but　I　felt　that　he　had　done　me

an　injury；　not　to　say　committed　an　act　of　boyslaughter；　in　running

over　my　Childhood　in　this　rough　manner；　and　if　ever　I　meet　Pickford

driving　one　of　his　own　monsters；　and　smoking　a　pipe　the　while

（which　is　the　custom　of　his　men）；　he　shall　know　by　the　expression

of　my　eye；　if　it　catches　his；　that　there　is　something　wrong　between

us。



Moreover；　I　felt　that　Pickford　had　no　right　to　come　rushing　into

Dullborough　and　deprive　the　town　of　a　public　picture。　　He　is　not

Napoleon　Bonaparte。　　When　he　took　down　the　transparent　stage…coach；

he　ought　to　have　given　the　town　a　transparent　van。　　With　a　gloomy

conviction　that　Pickford　is　wholly　utilitarian　and　unimaginative；　I

proceeded　on　my　way。



It　is　a　mercy　I　have　not　a　red　and　green　lamp　and　a　night…bell　at

my　door；　for　in　my　very　young　days　I　was　taken　to　so　many　lyings…in

that　I　wonder　I　escaped　becoming　a　professional　martyr　to　them　in

after…life。　　I　suppose　I　had　a　very　sympathetic　nurse；　with　a　large

circle　of　married　acquaintance。　　However　that　was；　as　I　continued

my　walk　through　Dullborough；　I　found　many　houses　to　be　solely

associated　in　my　mind　with　this　particular　interest。　　At　one　little

greengrocer's　shop；　down　certain　steps　from　the　street；　I　remember

to　have　waited　on　a　lady　who　had　had　four　children　（I　am　afraid　to

write　five；　though　I　fully　believe　it　was　five）　at　a　birth。　　This

meritorious　woman　held　quite　a　reception　in　her　room　on　the　morning

when　I　was　introduced　there；　and　the　sight　of　the　house　brought

vividly　to　my　mind　how　the　four　（five）　deceased　young　people　lay；

side　by　side；　on　a　clean　cloth　on　a　chest　of　drawers；　reminding　me

by　a　homely　association；　which　I　suspect　their　complexion　to　have

assisted；　of　pigs'　feet　as　they　are　usually　displayed　at　a　neat

tripe…shop。　　Hot　candle　was　handed　round　on　the　occasion；　and　I

further　remembered　as　I　stood　contemplating　the　greengrocer's；　that

a　subscription　was　entered　into　among　the　company；　which　became

extremely　alarming　to　my　consciousness　of　having　pocket…money　on　my

person。　　This　fact　being　known　to　my　conductress；　whoever　she　was；

I　was　earnestly　exhorted　to　contribute；　but　resolutely　declined：

therein　disgusting　the　company；　who　gave　me　to　understand　that　I

must　dismiss　all　expectations　of　going　to　Heaven。



How　does　it　happen　that　when　all　else　is　change　wherever　one　goes；

there　yet　seem；　in　every　place；　to　be　some　few　people　who　never

alter？　　As　the　sight　of　the　greengrocer's　house　recalled　these

trivial　incidents　of　long　ago；　the　identical　greengrocer　appeared

on　the　steps；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　leaning　his

shoulder　against　the　door…post；　as　my　childish　eyes　had　seen　him

many　a　time；　indeed；　there　was　his　old　mark　on　the　door…post　yet；

as　if　his　shadow　had　become　a　fixture　there。　　It　was　he　himself；　he

might　formerly　have　been　an　old…looking　young　man；　or　he　might　now

be　a　young…looking　old　man；　but　there　he　was。　　In　walking　along　the

street；　I　had　as　yet　looked　in　vain　for　a　familiar　face；　or　even　a

transmitted　face；　here　was　the　very　greengrocer　who　had　been

weighing　and　handling　baskets　on　the　morning　of　the　reception。　　As

he　brought　with　him　a　dawning　remembrance　that　he　had　had　no

proprietary　interest　in　those　babies；　I　crossed　the　road；　and

accosted　him　on　the　subject。　　He　was　not　in　the　least　excited　or

gratified；　or　in　any　way　roused；　by　the　accuracy　of　my

recollection；　but　said；　Yes；　summut　out　of　the　common　…　he　didn't

remember　how　many　it　was　（as　if　half…a…dozen　babes　either　way　made

no　difference）　…　had　happened　to　a　Mrs。　What's…her…name；　as　once

lodged　there　…　but　he　didn't　call　it　to　mind；　particular。　　Nettled

by　this　phl