intervals；　on　both　sides；　sentinels　were　stationed；　whilst　outside；
  upon　the　field；　stood　commodious　wooden　barracks；　capable　of
  containing　two　regiments　of　infantry；　intended　to　serve　as　guards
  upon　the　captives。　　Such　was　the　station　or　prison　at　Norman　Cross；
  where　some　six　thousand　French　and　other　foreigners；　followers　of
  the　grand　Corsican；　were　now　immured。
  What　a　strange　appearance　had　those　mighty　casernes；　with　their
  blank　blind　walls；　without　windows　or　grating；　and　their　slanting
  roofs；　out　of　which；　through　orifices　where　the　tiles　had　been
  removed；　would　be　protruded　dozens　of　grim　heads；　feasting　their
  prison…sick　eyes　on　the　wide　expanse　of　country　unfolded　from　that
  airy　height。　　Ah！　there　was　much　misery　in　those　casernes；　and　from
  those　roofs；　doubtless；　many　a　wistful　look　was　turned　in　the
  direction　of　lovely　France。　　Much　had　the　poor　inmates　to　endure；
  and　much　to　complain　of；　to　the　disgrace　of　England　be　it　said　…　of
  England；　in　general　so　kind　and　bountiful。　　Rations　of　carrion
  meat；　and　bread　from　which　I　have　seen　the　very　hounds　occasionally
  turn　away；　were　unworthy　entertainment　even　for　the　most　ruffian
  enemy；　when　helpless　and　a　captive；　and　such；　alas！　was　the　fare　in
  those　casernes。　　And　then；　those　visits；　or　rather　ruthless
  inroads；　called　in　the　slang　of　the　place　'strawplait…hunts；'　when
  in　pursuit　of　a　contraband　article；　which　the　prisoners；　in　order
  to　procure　themselves　a　few　of　the　necessaries　and　comforts　of
  existence；　were　in　the　habit　of　making；　red…coated　battalions　were
  marched　into　the　prisons；　who；　with　the　bayonet's　point；　carried
  havoc　and　ruin　into　every　poor　convenience　which　ingenious
  wretchedness　had　been　endeavouring　to　raise　around　it；　and　then　the
  triumphant　exit　with　the　miserable　booty；　and；　worst　of　all；　the
  accursed　bonfire；　on　the　barrack　parade；　of　the　plait　contraband；
  beneath　the　view　of　the　glaring　eyeballs　from　those　lofty　roofs；
  amidst　the　hurrahs　of　the　troops；　frequently　drowned　in　the　curses
  poured　down　from　above　like　a　tempest…shower　or　in　the　terrific
  warw…hoop　of　'VIVE　L'EMPEREUR！'
  It　was　midsummer　when　we　arrived　at　this　place；　and　the　weather；
  which　had　for　a　long　time　been　wet　and　gloomy；　now　became　bright
  and　glorious；　I　was　subjected　to　but　little　control；　and　passed　my
  time　pleasantly　enough；　principally　in　wandering　about　the
  neighbouring　country。　　It　was　flat　and　somewhat　fenny；　a　district
  more　of　pasture　than　agriculture；　and　not　very　thickly　inhabited。
  I　soon　became　well　acquainted　with　it。　　At　the　distance　of　two
  miles　from　the　station　was　a　large　lake；　styled　in　the　dialect　of
  the　country　'a　mere；'　about　whose　borders　tall　reeds　were　growing
  in　abundance；　this　was　a　frequent　haunt　of　mine；　but　my　favourite
  place　of　resort　was　a　wild　sequestered　spot　at　a　somewhat　greater
  distance。　　Here；　surrounded　with　woods　and　thick　groves；　was　the
  seat　of　some　ancient　family；　deserted　by　the　proprietor；　and　only
  inhabited　by　a　rustic　servant　or　two。　　A　place　more　solitary　and
  wild　could　scarcely　be　imagined；　the　garden　and　walks　were
  overgrown　with　weeds　and　briers；　and　the　unpruned　woods　were　so
  tangled　as　to　be　almost　impervious。　　About　this　domain　I　would
  wander　till　overtaken　by　fatigue；　and　then　I　would　sit　down　with　my
  back　against　some　beech；　elm；　or　stately　alder　tree；　and；　taking
  out　my　book；　would　pass　hours　in　a　state　of　unmixed　enjoyment；　my
  eyes　now　fixed　on　the　wondrous　pages；　now　glancing　at　the　sylvan
  scene　around；　and　sometimes　I　would　drop　the　book　and　listen　to　the
  voice　of　the　rooks　and　wild　pigeons；　and　not　unfrequently　to　the
  croaking　of　multitudes　of　frogs　from　the　neighbouring　swamps　and
  fens。
  In　going　to　and　from　this　place　I　frequently　passed　a　tall　elderly
  individual；　dressed　in　rather　a　quaint　fashion；　with　a　skin　cap　on
  his　head　and　stout　gaiters　on　his　legs；　on　his　shoulders　hung　a
  moderate　sized　leathern　sack；　he　seemed　fond　of　loitering　near
  sunny　banks；　and　of　groping　amidst　furze　and　low　scrubby　bramble
  bushes；　of　which　there　were　plenty　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Norman
  Cross。　　Once　I　saw　him　standing　in　the　middle　of　a　dusty　road；
  looking　intently　at　a　large　mark　which　seemed　to　have　been　drawn
  across　it；　as　if　by　a　walking　stick。　　'He　must　have　been　a　large
  one；'　the　old　man　muttered　half　to　himself；　'or　he　would　not　have
  left　such　a　trail；　I　wonder　if　he　is　near；　he　seems　to　have　moved
  this　way。'　　He　then　went　behind　some　bushes　which　grew　on　the　right
  side　of　the　road；　and　appeared　to　be　in　quest　of　something；　moving
  behind　the　bushes　with　his　head　downwards；　and　occasionally
  striking　their　roots　with　his　foot：　　at　length　he　exclaimed；　'Here
  he　is！'　and　forthwith　I　saw　him　dart　amongst　the　bushes。　　There　was
  a　kind　of　scuffling　noise；　the　rustling　of　branches；　and　the
  crackling　of　dry　sticks。　　'I　have　him！'　said　the　man　at　last；　'I
  have　got　him！'　and　presently　he　made　his　appearance　about　twenty
  yards　down　the　road；　holding　a　large　viper　in　his　hand。　　'What　do
  you　think　of　that；　my　boy？'　said　he；　as　I　went　up　to　him　…　'what　do
  you　think　of　catching　such　a　thing　as　that　with　the　naked　hand？'
  'What　do　I　think？'　said　I。　　'Why；　that　I　could　do　as　much　myself。'
  'You　do；'　said　the　man；　'do　you？　　Lord！　how　the　young　people　in
  these　days　are　given　to　conceit；　it　did　not　use　to　be　so　in　my
  time：　　when　I　was　a　child；　childer　knew　how　to　behave　themselves；
  but　the　childer　of　these　days　are　full　of　conceit；　full　of　froth；
  like　the　mouth　of　this　viper'；　and　with　his　forefinger　and　thumb　he
  squeezed　a　considerable　quantity　of　foam　from　the　jaws　of　the　viper
  down　upon　the　road。　　'The　childer　of　these　days　are　a　generation　of
  …　God　forgive　me；　what　was　I　about　to　say？'　said　the　old　man；　and
  opening　his　bag　he　thrust　the　reptile　into　it；　which　appeared　far
  from　empty。　　I　passed　on。　　As　I　was　returning；　towards　the　evening；
  I　overtook　the　old　man；　who　was　wending　in　the　same　direction。
  'Good　evening　to　you；　sir；'　said　I；　taking　off　a　cap　which　I　wore
  on　my　head。　　'Good　evening；'　said　the　old　man；　and　then；　looking　at
  me；　'How's　this？'　said　he；　'you　aren't；　sure；　the　child　I　met　in
  the　morning？'　　'Yes；'　said　I；　'I　am；　what　makes　you　doubt　it？'
  'Why；　you　were　then　all　froth　and　conceit；'　said　the　old　man；　'and
  now　you　take　off　your　cap　to　me。'　　'I　beg　your　pardon；'　said　I；　'if
  I　was　frothy　and　conceited；　it　ill　becomes　a　child　like　me　to　be
  so。'　　'That's　true；　dear；'　said　the　old　man；　'well；　as　you　have
  begged　my　pardon；　I　truly　forgive　you。'　　'Thank　you；'　said　I；　'have
  you　caught　any　more　of　those　things？'　　'Only　four　or　five；'　said
  the　old　man；　'they　are　getting　scarce；　though　this　used　to　be　a
  great　neighbourhood　for　them。'　　'And　what　do　you　do　with　them？'
  said　I；　'do　you　carry　them　home　and　play　with　them？'　　'I　sometimes
  play　with　one　or　two　that　I　tame；'　said　the　old　man；　'but　I　hunt
  them　mostly　for　the　fat　which　they　contain；　out　of　which　I　make
  unguents　which　are　good　for　various　sore　troubles；　especially　for
  the　rheumatism。'　　'And　do　you　get　your　living　by　hunting　these
  creatures？'　I　demanded。　　'Not　altogether；'　said　the　old　man；
  'besides　being　a　viper…hunter；　I　am　what　they　call　a　herbalist；　one
  who　knows　the　virtue　of　particular　herbs；　I　gather　them　at　the
  proper　season；　to　make　medicines　with　for　the　sick。'　　'And　do　you
  live　in　the　neighbourhood？'　I　demanded。　　'You　seem　very　fond　of
  asking　questions；　child。　　No；　I　do　not　live　in　this　neighbourhood
  in　particular；　I　travel　about；　I　have　not　been　in　this
  neighbourhood　till　lately　for　some　years。'
  From　this　time　the　old　man　and　myself　formed　an　acquaintance；　I
  often　accompanied　him　in　his　wanderings　about　the　neighbourhood；
  and；　on　two　or　three　occasions；　assisted　him　in　catching　the
  reptiles　which　he　hunted。　　He　generally　carried　a　viper　with　him
  which　he　had　made　quite　tame；　and　from　which　he　had　extracted　the
  poisonous　fangs；　it　would　dance　and　perform　various　kinds　of
  tricks。　　He　was　fond　of　telling　me　anecdotes　connected　with　his
  adventures　with　the　reptile　species。　　'But；'　said　he　one　day；
  sighing；　'I　must　shortly　give　up　this　business；　I　am　no　longer　the
  man　I　was；　I　am　become　timid；　and　when　a　person　is　timid　in　viper…
  hunting；　he　had　better　leave　off；　as　it　is　quite　clear　his　virtue
  is　leaving　him。　　I　got　a　fright　some　years　ago；　which　I　am　quite
  sure　I　shall　never　get　the　better　of；　my　hand　has　been　shaky　more
  or　less　ever　since。'　　'What　frightened　you？'　said　I。　　'I　had　better
  not　tell　you；'　said　the　old　man；　'or　you　may　be　frightened　too；
  lose　your　virtue；　and　be　no　longer　good　for　the　business。'　　'I
  don't　care；'　said　I；　'I　don't　intend　to　follow　the　business：　　I
  daresay　I　shall　be　an　officer；　like　my　father。'　　'Well；'　said　the
  old　man；　'I　once　saw　the　king　of　the　vipers；　and　since　then　…　'
  'The　king　of　the　vipers！'　said　I；　inte