myself　into　new　circumstances　with　the　spirit　of　a　schoolboy。　　It
  is　possible　that　I　sometimes　allowed　this　impish　humour　to　carry　me
  further　than　good　taste　approves：　and　I　was　certainly　punished　for
  it　once。
  This　was　in　the　episcopal　city　of　Durham。　　We　sat　down；　a
  considerable　company；　to　dinner；　most　of　us　fine　old　vatted　English
  tories　of　that　class　which　is　often　so　enthusiastic　as　to　be
  inarticulate。　　I　took　and　held　the　lead　from　the　beginning；　and；
  the　talk　having　turned　on　the　French　in　the　Peninsula；　I　gave　them
  authentic　details　（on　the　authority　of　a　cousin　of　mine；　an　ensign）
  of　certain　cannibal　orgies　in　Galicia；　in　which　no　less　a　person
  than　General　Caffarelli　had　taken　a　part。　　I　always　disliked　that
  commander；　who　once　ordered　me　under　arrest　for　insubordination；
  and　it　is　possible　that　a　spice　of　vengeance　added　to　the　rigour　of
  my　picture。　　I　have　forgotten　the　details；　no　doubt　they　were　high…
  coloured。　　No　doubt　I　rejoiced　to　fool　these　jolter…heads；　and　no
  doubt　the　sense　of　security　that　I　drank　from　their　dull；　gasping
  faces　encouraged　me　to　proceed　extremely　far。　　And　for　my　sins；
  there　was　one　silent　little　man　at　table　who　took　my　story　at　the
  true　value。　　It　was　from　no　sense　of　humour；　to　which　he　was　quite
  dead。　　It　was　from　no　particular　intelligence；　for　he　had　not　any。
  The　bond　of　sympathy；　of　all　things　in　the　world；　had　rendered　him
  clairvoyant。
  Dinner　was　no　sooner　done　than　I　strolled　forth　into　the　streets
  with　some　design　of　viewing　the　cathedral；　and　the　little　man　was
  silently　at　my　heels。　　A　few　doors　from　the　inn；　in　a　dark　place　of
  the　street；　I　was　aware　of　a　touch　on　my　arm；　turned　suddenly；　and
  found　him　looking　up　at　me　with　eyes　pathetically　bright。
  'I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　but　that　story　of　yours　was　particularly
  rich。　　He　…　he！　　Particularly　racy；'　said　he。　　'I　tell　you；　sir；　I
  took　you　wholly！　　I　SMOKED　you！　　I　believe　you　and　I；　sir；　if　we
  had　a　chance　to　talk；　would　find　we　had　a　good　many　opinions　in
  common。　　Here　is　the　〃Blue　Bell；〃　a　very　comfortable　place。　　They
  draw　good　ale；　sir。　　Would　you　be　so　condescending　as　to　share　a
  pot　with　me？'
  There　was　something　so　ambiguous　and　secret　in　the　little　man's
  perpetual　signalling；　that　I　confess　my　curiosity　was　much　aroused。
  Blaming　myself；　even　as　I　did　so；　for　the　indiscretion；　I　embraced
  his　proposal；　and　we　were　soon　face　to　face　over　a　tankard　of
  mulled　ale。　　He　lowered　his　voice　to　the　least　attenuation　of　a
  whisper。
  'Here；　sir；'　said　he；　'is　to　the　Great　Man。　　I　think　you　take　me？
  No？'　　He　leaned　forward　till　our　noses　touched。　　'Here　is　to　the
  Emperor！'　said　he。
  I　was　extremely　embarrassed；　and；　in　spite　of　the　creature's
  innocent　appearance；　more　than　half　alarmed。　　I　thought　him　too
  ingenious；　and；　indeed；　too　daring　for　a　spy。　　Yet　if　he　were
  honest　he　must　be　a　man　of　extraordinary　indiscretion；　and
  therefore　very　unfit　to　be　encouraged　by　an　escaped　prisoner。　　I
  took　a　half　course；　accordingly　…　accepted　his　toast　in　silence；
  and　drank　it　without　enthusiasm。
  He　proceeded　to　abound　in　the　praises　of　Napoleon；　such　as　I　had
  never　heard　in　France；　or　at　least　only　on　the　lips　of　officials
  paid　to　offer　them。
  'And　this　Caffarelli；　now；'　he　pursued：　'he　is　a　splendid　fellow；
  too；　is　he　not？　　I　have　not　heard　vastly　much　of　him　myself。　　No
  details；　sir　…　no　details！　　We　labour　under　huge　difficulties　here
  as　to　unbiassed　information。'
  'I　believe　I　have　heard　the　same　complaint　in　other　countries；'　I
  could　not　help　remarking。　　'But　as　to　Caffarelli；　he　is　neither
  lame　nor　blind；　he　has　two　legs　and　a　nose　in　the　middle　of　his
  face。　　And　I　care　as　much　about　him　as　you　care　for　the　dead　body
  of　Mr。　Perceval！'
  He　studied　me　with　glowing　eyes。
  'You　cannot　deceive　me！'　he　cried。　　'You　have　served　under　him。
  You　are　a　Frenchman！　　I　hold　by　the　hand；　at　last；　one　of　that
  noble　race；　the　pioneers　of　the　glorious　principles　of　liberty　and
  brotherhood。　　Hush！　　No；　it　is　all　right。　　I　thought　there　had　been
  somebody　at　the　door。　　In　this　wretched；　enslaved　country　we　dare
  not　even　call　our　souls　our　own。　　The　spy　and　the　hangman；　sir　…
  the　spy　and　the　hangman！　　And　yet　there　is　a　candle　burning；　too。
  The　good　leaven　is　working；　sir　…　working　underneath。　　Even　in　this
  town　there　are　a　few　brave　spirits；　who　meet　every　Wednesday。　　You
  must　stay　over　a　day　or　so；　and　join　us。　　We　do　not　use　this　house。
  Another；　and　a　quieter。　　They　draw　fine　ale；　however　…　fair；　mild
  ale。　　You　will　find　yourself　among　friends；　among　brothers。　　You
  will　hear　some　very　daring　sentiments　expressed！'　he　cried；
  expanding　his　small　chest。　　'Monarchy；　Christianity　…　all　the
  trappings　of　a　bloated　past　…　the　Free　Confraternity　of　Durham　and
  Tyneside　deride。'
  Here　was　a　devil　of　a　prospect　for　a　gentleman　whose　whole　design
  was　to　avoid　observation！　　The　Free　Confraternity　had　no　charms　for
  me；　daring　sentiments　were　no　part　of　my　baggage；　and　I　tried；
  instead；　a　little　cold　water。
  'You　seem　to　forget；　sir；　that　my　Emperor　has　re…established
  Christianity；'　I　observed。
  'Ah；　sir；　but　that　was　policy！'　he　exclaimed。　　'You　do　not
  understand　Napoleon。　　I　have　followed　his　whole　career。　　I　can
  explain　his　policy　from　first　to　last。　　Now　for　instance　in　the
  Peninsula；　on　which　you　were　so　very　amusing；　if　you　will　come　to　a
  friend's　house　who　has　a　map　of　Spain；　I　can　make　the　whole　course
  of　the　war　quite　clear　to　you；　I　venture　to　say；　in　half　an　hour。'
  This　was　intolerable。　　Of　the　two　extremes；　I　found　I　preferred　the
  British　tory；　and；　making　an　appointment　for　the　morrow；　I　pleaded
  sudden　headache；　escaped　to　the　inn；　packed　my　knapsack；　and　fled；
  about　nine　at　night；　from　this　accursed　neighbourhood。　　It　was
  cold；　starry；　and　clear；　and　the　road　dry；　with　a　touch　of　frost。
  For　all　that；　I　had　not　the　smallest　intention　to　make　a　long　stage
  of　it；　and　about　ten　o'clock；　spying　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the
  way　the　lighted　windows　of　an　alehouse；　I　determined　to　bait　there
  for　the　night。
  It　was　against　my　principle；　which　was　to　frequent　only　the　dearest
  inns；　and　the　misadventure　that　befell　me　was　sufficient　to　make　me
  more　particular　in　the　future。　　A　large　company　was　assembled　in
  the　parlour；　which　was　heavy　with　clouds　of　tobacco　smoke；　and
  brightly　lighted　up　by　a　roaring　fire　of　coal。　　Hard　by　the　chimney
  stood　a　vacant　chair　in　what　I　thought　an　enviable　situation；
  whether　for　warmth　or　the　pleasure　of　society；　and　I　was　about　to
  take　it；　when　the　nearest　of　the　company　stopped　me　with　his　hand。
  'Beg　thy　pardon；　sir；'　said　he；　'but　that　there　chair　belongs　to　a
  British　soldier。'
  A　chorus　of　voices　enforced　and　explained。　　It　was　one　of　Lord
  Wellington's　heroes。　　He　had　been　wounded　under　Rowland　Hill。　　He
  was　Colbourne's　right…hand　man。　　In　short；　this　favoured　individual
  appeared　to　have　served　with　every　separate　corps；　and　under　every
  individual　general　in　the　Peninsula。　　Of　course　I　apologised。　　I
  had　not　known。　　The　devil　was　in　it　if　a　soldier　had　not　a　right　to
  the　best　in　England。　　And　with　that　sentiment；　which　was　loudly
  applauded；　I　found　a　corner　of　a　bench；　and　awaited；　with　some
  hopes　of　entertainment；　the　return　of　the　hero。　　He　proved；　of
  course；　to　be　a　private　soldier。　　I　say　of　course；　because　no
  officer　could　possibly　enjoy　such　heights　of　popularity。　　He　had
  been　wounded　before　San　Sebastian；　and　still　wore　his　arm　in　a
  sling。　　What　was　a　great　deal　worse　for　him；　every　member　of　the
  company　had　been　plying　him　with　drink。　　His　honest　yokel's
  countenance　blazed　as　if　with　fever；　his　eyes　were　glazed　and
  looked　the　two　ways；　and　his　feet　stumbled　as；　amidst　a　murmur　of
  applause；　he　returned　to　the　midst　of　his　admirers。
  Two　minutes　afterwards　I　was　again　posting　in　the　dark　along　the
  highway；　to　explain　which　sudden　movement　of　retreat　I　must　trouble
  the　reader　with　a　reminiscence　of　my　services。
  I　lay　one　night　with　the　out…pickets　in　Castile。　　We　were　in　close
  touch　with　the　enemy；　the　usual　orders　had　been　issued　against
  smoking；　fires；　and　talk；　and　both　armies　lay　as　quiet　as　mice；
  when　I　saw　the　English　sentinel　opposite　making　a　signal　by　holding
  up　his　musket。　　I　repeated　it；　and　we　both　crept　together　in　the
  dry　bed　of　a　stream；　which　made　the　demarcation　of　the　armies。　　It
  was　wine　he　wanted；　of　which　we　had　a　good　provision；　and　the
  English　had　quite　run　out。　　He　gave　me　the　money；　and　I；　as　was　the
  custom；　left　him　my　firelock　in　pledge；　and　set　off　for　the
  canteen。　　When　I　returned　with　a　skin　of　wine；　behold；　it　had
  pleased　some　uneasy　devil　of　an　English　officer　to　withdraw　the
  outposts！　　Here　was　a　situation　with　a　vengeance；　and　I　looked　for
  nothing　but　ridicule　in　the　present　and　punishment　in　th