f　the　human　mind　　about　this　and　the　other　subject；　we　did　not　want　to　disgrace　our　　native　land　by　messing　an　eight；　or　toiling　pitifully　in　the　wake　　of　the　champion　canoeist。　　In　short；　we　had　recourse　to　flight。　　It　　seemed　ungrateful；　but　we　tried　to　make　that　good　on　a　card　loaded　　with　sincere　compliments。　　And　indeed　it　was　no　time　for　scruples；　　we　seemed　to　feel　the　hot　breath　of　the　champion　on　our　necks。
  AT　MAUBEUGE
  PARTLY　from　the　terror　we　had　of　our　good　friends　the　Royal　　Nauticals；　partly　from　the　fact　that　there　were　no　fewer　than　　fifty…five　locks　between　Brussels　and　Charleroi；　we　concluded　that　　we　should　travel　by　train　across　the　frontier；　boats　and　all。　　　Fifty…five　locks　in　a　day's　journey　was　pretty　well　tantamount　to　　trudging　the　whole　distance　on　foot；　with　the　canoes　upon　our　　shoulders；　an　object　of　astonishment　to　the　trees　on　the　canal　　side；　and　of　honest　derision　to　all　right…thinking　children。
  To　pass　the　frontier；　even　in　a　train；　is　a　difficult　matter　for　　the　ARETHUSA。　　He　is　somehow　or　other　a　marked　man　for　the　official　　eye。　　Wherever　he　journeys；　there　are　the　officers　gathered　　together。　　Treaties　are　solemnly　signed；　foreign　ministers；　　ambassadors；　and　consuls　sit　throned　in　state　from　China　to　Peru；　　and　the　Union　Jack　flutters　on　all　the　winds　of　heaven。　　Under　　these　safeguards；　portly　clergymen；　school…mistresses；　gentlemen　in　　grey　tweed　suits；　and　all　the　ruck　and　rabble　of　British　touristry　　pour　unhindered；　MURRAY　in　hand；　over　the　railways　of　the　　Continent；　and　yet　the　slim　person　of　the　ARETHUSA　is　taken　in　the　　meshes；　while　these　great　fish　go　on　their　way　rejoicing。　　If　he　　travels　without　a　passport；　he　is　cast；　without　any　figure　about　　the　matter；　into　noisome　dungeons：　　if　his　papers　are　in　order；　he　　is　suffered　to　go　his　way　indeed；　but　not　until　he　has　been　　humiliated　by　a　general　incredulity。　　He　is　a　born　British　subject；　　yet　he　has　never　succeeded　in　persuading　a　single　official　of　his　　nationality。　　He　flatters　himself　he　is　indifferent　honest；　yet　he　　is　rarely　taken　for　anything　better　than　a　spy；　and　there　is　no　　absurd　and　disreputable　means　of　livelihood　but　has　been　attributed　　to　him　in　some　heat　of　official　or　popular　distrust。　。　。　。
  For　the　life　of　me　I　cannot　understand　it。　　I　too　have　been　knolled　　to　church；　and　sat　at　good　men's　feasts；　but　I　bear　no　mark　of　it。　　　I　am　as　strange　as　a　Jack　Indian　to　their　official　spectacles。　　I　　might　come　from　any　part　of　the　globe；　it　seems；　except　from　where　　I　do。　　My　ancestors　have　laboured　in　vain；　and　the　glorious　　Constitution　cannot　protect　me　in　my　walks　abroad。　　It　is　a　great　　thing；　believe　me；　to　present　a　good　normal　type　of　the　nation　you　　belong　to。
  Nobody　else　was　asked　for　his　papers　on　the　way　to　Maubeuge；　but　I　　was；　and　although　I　clung　to　my　rights；　I　had　to　choose　at　last　　between　accepting　the　humiliation　and　being　left　behind　by　the　　train。　　I　was　sorry　to　give　way；　but　I　wanted　to　get　to　Maubeuge。
  Maubeuge　is　a　fortified　town；　with　a　very　good　inn；　the　GRAND　CERF。　　　It　seemed　to　be　inhabited　principally　by　soldiers　and　bagmen；　at　　least；　these　were　all　that　we　saw；　except　the　hotel　servants。　　We　　had　to　stay　there　some　time；　for　the　canoes　were　in　no　hurry　to　　follow　us；　and　at　last　stuck　hopelessly　in　the　custom…house　until　　we　went　back　to　liberate　them。　　There　was　nothing　to　do；　nothing　to　　see。　　We　had　good　meals；　which　was　a　great　matter；　but　that　was　　all。
  The　CIGARETTE　was　nearly　taken　up　upon　a　charge　of　drawing　the　　fortifications：　　a　feat　of　which　he　was　hopelessly　incapable。　　And　　besides；　as　I　suppose　each　belligerent　nation　has　a　plan　of　the　　other's　fortified　places　already；　these　precautions　are　of　the　　nature　of　shutting　the　stable　door　after　the　steed　is　away。　　But　I　　have　no　doubt　they　help　to　keep　up　a　good　spirit　at　home。　　It　is　a　　great　thing　if　you　can　persuade　people　that　they　are　somehow　or　　other　partakers　in　a　mystery。　　It　makes　them　feel　bigger。　　Even　the　　Freemasons；　who　have　been　shown　up　to　satiety；　preserve　a　kind　of　　pride；　and　not　a　grocer　among　them；　however　honest；　harmless；　and　　empty…headed　he　may　feel　himself　to　be　at　bottom；　but　comes　home　　from　one　of　their　COENACULA　with　a　portentous　significance　for　　himself。
  It　is　an　odd　thing；　how　happily　two　people；　if　there　are　two；　can　　live　in　a　place　where　they　have　no　acquaintance。　　I　think　the　　spectacle　of　a　whole　life　in　which　you　have　no　part　paralyses　　personal　desire。　　You　are　content　to　become　a　mere　spectator。　　The　　baker　stands　in　his　door；　the　colonel　with　his　three　medals　goes　by　　to　the　CAFE　at　night；　the　troops　drum　and　trumpet　and　man　the　　ramparts；　as　bold　as　so　many　lions。　　It　would　task　language　to　say　　how　placidly　you　behold　all　this。　　In　a　place　where　you　have　taken　　some　root；　you　are　provoked　out　of　your　indifference；　you　have　a　　hand　in　the　game；　your　friends　are　fighting　with　the　army。　　But　in　　a　strange　town；　not　small　enough　to　grow　too　soon　familiar；　nor　so　　large　as　to　have　laid　itself　out　for　travellers；　you　stand　so　far　　apart　from　the　business；　that　you　positively　forget　it　would　be　　possible　to　go　nearer；　you　have　so　little　human　interest　around　　you；　that　you　do　not　remember　yourself　to　be　a　man。　　Perhaps；　in　a　　very　short　time；　you　would　be　one　no　longer。　　Gymnosophists　go　into　　a　wood；　with　all　nature　seething　around　them；　with　romance　on　every　　side；　it　would　be　much　more　to　the　purpose　if　they　took　up　their　　abode　in　a　dull　country　town；　where　they　should　see　just　so　much　of　　humanity　as　to　keep　them　from　desiring　more；　and　only　the　stale　　externals　of　man's　life。　　These　externals　are　as　dead　to　us　as　so　　many　formalities；　and　speak　a　dead　language　in　our　eyes　and　ears。　　　They　have　no　more　meaning　than　an　oath　or　a　salutation。　　We　are　so　　much　accustomed　to　see　married　couples　going　to　church　of　a　Sunday　　that　we　have　clean　forgotten　what　they　represent；　and　novelists　are　　driven　to　rehabilitate　adultery；　no　less；　when　they　wish　to　show　us　　what　a　beautiful　thing　it　is　for　a　man　and　a　woman　to　live　for　each　　other。
  One　person　in　Maubeuge；　however；　showed　me　something　more　than　his　　outside。　　That　was　the　driver　of　the　hotel　omnibus：　　a　mean　enough　　looking　little　man；　as　well　as　I　can　remember；　but　with　a　spark　of　　something　human　in　his　soul。　　He　had　heard　of　our　little　journey；　　and　came　to　me　at　once　in　envious　sympathy。　　How　he　longed　to　　travel！　he　told　me。　　How　he　longed　to　be　somewhere　else；　and　see　　the　round　world　before　he　went　into　the　grave！　　'Here　I　am；'　said　　he。　　'I　drive　to　the　station。　　Well。　　And　then　I　drive　back　again　　to　the　hotel。　　And　so　on　every　day　and　all　the　week　round。　　My　God；　　is　that　life？'　　I　could　not　say　I　thought　it　was　…　for　him。　　He　　pressed　me　to　tell　him　where　I　had　been；　and　where　I　hoped　to　go；　　and　as　he　listened；　I　declare　the　fellow　sighed。　　Might　not　this　　have　been　a　brave　African　traveller；　or　gone　to　the　Indies　after　　Drake？　　But　it　is　an　evil　age　for　the　gypsily　inclined　among　men。　　　He　who　can　sit　squarest　on　a　three…legged　stool；　he　it　is　who　has　　the　wealth　and　glory。
  I　wonder　if　my　friend　is　still　driving　the　omnibus　for　the　Grand　　Cerf？　　Not　very　likely；　I　believe；　for　I　think　he　was　on　the　eve　of　　mutiny　when　we　passed　through；　and　perhaps　our　passage　determined　　him　for　good。　　Better　a　thousand　times　that　he　should　be　a　tramp；　　and　mend　pots　and　pans　by　the　wayside；　and　sleep　under　trees；　and　　see　the　dawn　and　the　sunset　every　day　above　a　new　horizon。　　I　think　　I　hear　you　say　that　it　is　a　respectable　position　to　drive　an　　omnibus？　　Very　well。　　What　right　has　he　who　likes　it　not；　to　keep　　those　who　would　like　it　dearly　out　of　this　respectable　position？　　　Suppose　a　dish　were　not　to　my　taste；　and　you　told　me　that　it　was　a　　favourite　amongst　the　rest　of　the　company；　what　should　I　conclude　　from　that？　　Not　to　finish　the　dish　against　my　stomach；　I　suppose。
  Respectability　is　a　very　good　thing　in　its　way；　but　it　does　not　　rise　superior　to　all　considerations。　　I　would　not　for　a　moment　　venture　to　hint　that　it　was　a　matter　of　taste；　but　I　think　I　will　　go　as　far　as　this：　　that　if　a　position　is　admittedly　unkind；　　uncomfortable；　unnecessary；　and　superfluously　useless；　although　it　　were　as　respectable　as　the　Church　of　England；　the　sooner　a　man　is　　out　of　it；　the　better　for　himself；　and　all　concerned。
  ON　THE　SAMBRE　CANALISED
  TO　QUARTES
  ABOUT　three　in　the　afternoon　the　whole　establishment　of　the　GRAND　　CERF　accompanied　us　to　the　water's　edge。　　The　man　of　the　omnibus　　was　there　with　haggard　eyes。　　Poor　cage…bird！　　Do　I　not　remember　　the　time　when　I　myself　haunted　the　station；　to　watch　train　after　　train　carry　its　complement　of　freemen　into　the　night；　and　read　the　　names　of　distant　places　on　the　time…bills　with　indescribable　　longings？
  We　were　not　clear　of　the　fortifications　before　the　rain　began。　　The　　wind　was　contrary；　and　blew　in　furious　gusts；　nor　were　the　aspects　　of　nature　any　more　clement　than　the　doings　of　the　sky。　　For　we　　passed　through　a　stretch　of　blighted　country；　sparsely　covered　with　　brush；　but　handsomely　enough　diversified　with　factory　chimneys。　　We　　landed　in　a　soiled　meadow　among　some　pollards；　and　there　smoked　a　　pipe　in　a　flaw　of　fair　weather。　　But　the