walking　home　to　the　old　town；　stay　some　time　with　my　mother　and　my
  brother；　and　enjoy　the　pleasant　walks　in　the　neighbourhood；　but；
  though　I　wished　very　much　to　see　my　mother　and　my　brother；　and　felt
  much　disposed　to　enjoy　the　said　pleasant　walks；　the　old　town　was
  not　exactly　the　place　to　which　I　wished　to　go　at　this　present
  juncture。　　I　was　afraid　that　people　would　ask；　Where　are　your
  Northern　Ballads？　　Where　are　your　alliterative　translations　from　Ab
  Gwilym　…　of　which　you　were　always　talking；　and　with　which　you
  promised　to　astonish　the　world？　　Now；　in　the　event　of　such
  interrogations；　what　could　I　answer？　　It　is　true　I　had　compiled
  NEWGATE　LIVES　AND　TRIALS；　and　had　written　the　life　of　Joseph　Sell；
  but　I　was　afraid　that　the　people　of　the　old　town　would　scarcely
  consider　these　as　equivalents　for　the　Northern　Ballads　and　the
  songs　of　Ab　Gwilym。　　I　would　go　forth　and　wander　in　any　direction
  but　that　of　the　old　town。
  But　how　one's　sensibility　on　any　particular　point　diminishes　with
  time；　at　present　I　enter　the　old　town　perfectly　indifferent　as　to
  what　the　people　may　be　thinking　on　the　subject　of　the　songs　and
  ballads。　　With　respect　to　the　people　themselves；　whether；　like　my
  sensibility；　their　curiosity　has　altogether　evaporated；　whether；
  which　is　at　least　equally　probable；　they　never　entertained　any；　one
  thing　is　certain；　that　never　in　a　single　instance　have　they
  troubled　me　with　any　remarks　on　the　subject　of　the　songs　and
  ballads。
  As　it　was　my　intention　to　travel　on　foot；　with　a　bundle　and　a
  stick；　I　despatched　my　trunk　containing　some　few　clothes　and　books
  to　the　old　town。　　My　preparations　were　soon　made；　in　about　three
  days　I　was　in　readiness　to　start。
  Before　departing；　however；　I　bethought　me　of　my　old　friend　the
  apple…woman　of　London　Bridge。　　Apprehensive　that　she　might　be
  labouring　under　the　difficulties　of　poverty；　I　sent　her　a　piece　of
  gold　by　the　hands　of　a　young　maiden　in　the　house　in　which　I　lived。
  The　latter　punctually　executed　her　commission；　but　brought　me　back
  the　piece　of　gold。　　The　old　woman　would　not　take　it；　she　did　not
  want　it；　she　said。　　'Tell　the　poor　thin　lad；'　she　added；　'to　keep
  it　for　himself；　he　wants　it　more　than　I。'
  Rather　late　one　afternoon　I　departed　from　my　lodging；　with　my　stick
  in　one　hand　and　a　small　bundle　in　the　other；　shaping　my　course　to
  the　south…west：　　when　I　first　arrived；　somewhat　more　than　a　year
  before；　I　had　entered　the　city　by　the　north…east。　　As　I　was　not
  going　home；　I　determined　to　take　my　departure　in　the　direction　the
  very　opposite　to　home。
  Just　as　I　was　about　to　cross　the　street　called　the　Haymarket；　at
  the　lower　part；　a　cabriolet；　drawn　by　a　magnificent　animal；　came
  dashing　along　at　a　furious　rate；　it　stopped　close　by　the　curb…stone
  where　I　was；　a　sudden　pull　of　the　reins　nearly　bringing　the
  spirited　animal　upon　its　haunches。　　The　Jehu　who　had　accomplished
  this　feat　was　Francis　Ardry。　　A　small　beautiful　female；　with
  flashing　eyes；　dressed　in　the　extremity　of　fashion；　sat　beside　him。
  'Holloa；　friend；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'whither　bound？'
  'I　do　not　know；'　said　I；　'all　I　can　say　is；　that　I　am　about　to
  leave　London。'
  'And　the　means？'　said　Francis　Ardry。
  'I　have　them；'　said　I；　with　a　cheerful　smile。
  'Qui　est　celui…ci？'　demanded　the　small　female；　impatiently。
  'C'est　…　mon　ami　le　plus　intime；　so　you　were　about　to　leave　London；
  without　telling　me　a　word；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　somewhat　angrily。
  'I　intended　to　have　written　to　you；'　said　I：　　'what　a　splendid　mare
  that　is。'
  'Is　she　not？'　said　Francis　Ardry；　who　was　holding　in　the　mare　with
  difficulty；　'she　cost　a　hundred　guineas。'
  'Qu'est　ce　qu'il　dit？'　demanded　his　companion。
  'Il　dit　que　le　jument　est　bien　beau。'
  'Allons；　mon　ami；　il　est　tard；'　said　the　beauty；　with　a　scornful
  toss　of　her　head；　'allons！'
  'Encore　un　moment；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'and　when　shall　I　see　you
  again？'
  'I　scarcely　know；'　I　replied：　　'I　never　saw　a　more　splendid　turn
  out。'
  'Qu'est　ce　qu'il　dit？'　I　said　the　lady　again。
  'Il　dit　que　tout　l'equipage　est　en　assez　bon　gout。'
  'Allons；　c'est　un　ours；'　said　the　lady；　'le　cheval　meme　en　a　peur；'
  added　she；　as　the　mare　reared　up　on　high。
  'Can　you　find　nothing　else　to　admire　but　the　mare　and　the
  equipage？'　said　Francis　Ardry；　reproachfully；　after　he　had　with
  some　difficulty　brought　the　mare　to　order。
  Lifting　my　hand；　in　which　I　held　my　stick；　I　took　off　my　hat。　　'How
  beautiful！'　said　I；　looking　the　lady　full　in　the　face。
  'Comment？'　said　the　lady；　inquiringly。
  'Il　dit　que　vous　etes　belle　comme　un　ange；'　said　Francis　Ardry；
  emphatically。
  'Mais；　a　la　bonne　heure！　arretez；　mon　ami；'　said　the　lady　to
  Francis　Ardry；　who　was　about　to　drive　off；　'je　voudrais　bien　causer
  un　moment　avec　lui；　arretez；　il　est　delicieux。　…　Est…ce　bien　ainsi
  que　vous　traitez　vos　amis？'　said　she　passionately；　as　Francis　Ardry
  lifted　up　his　whip。　　'Bon　jour；　Monsieur；　bon　jour；'　said　she；
  thrusting　her　head　from　the　side　and　looking　back；　as　Francis　Ardry
  drove　off　at　the　rate　of　thirteen　miles　an　hour。
  CHAPTER　LIX
  The　milestone　…　The　meditation　…　Want　to　get　up？　…　The　off…hand
  leader　…　Sixteen　shillings　…　The　near…hand　wheeler　…　All　right。
  IN　about　two　hours　I　had　cleared　the　Great　City；　and　got　beyond　the
  suburban　villages；　or　rather　towns；　in　the　direction　in　which　I　was
  travelling；　I　was　in　a　broad　and　excellent　road；　leading　I　knew　not
  whither。　　I　now　slackened　my　pace；　which　had　hitherto　been　great。
  Presently；　coming　to　a　milestone　on　which　was　graven　nine　miles；　I
  rested　against　it；　and　looking　round　towards　the　vast　city；　which
  had　long　ceased　to　be　visible；　I　fell　into　a　train　of　meditation。
  I　thought　of　all　my　ways　and　doings　since　the　day　of　my　first
  arrival　in　that　vast　city　…　I　had　worked　and　toiled；　and；　though　I
  had　accomplished　nothing　at　all　commensurate　with　the　hopes　which　I
  had　entertained　previous　to　my　arrival；　I　had　achieved　my　own
  living；　preserved　my　independence；　and　become　indebted　to　no　one。
  I　was　now　quitting　it；　poor　in　purse；　it　is　true；　but　not　wholly
  empty；　rather　ailing　it　may　be；　but　not　broken　in　health；　and；　with
  hope　within　my　bosom；　had　I　not　cause　upon　the　whole　to　be
  thankful？　　Perhaps　there　were　some　who；　arriving　at　the　same　time
  under　not　more　favourable　circumstances；　had　accomplished　much
  more；　and　whose　future　was　far　more　hopeful　…　Good！　　But　there
  might　be　others　who；　in　spite　of　all　their　efforts；　had　been　either
  trodden　down　in　the　press；　never　more　to　be　heard　of；　or　were
  quitting　that　mighty　town　broken　in　purse；　broken　in　health；　and；
  oh！　with　not　one　dear　hope　to　cheer　them。　　Had　I　not；　upon　the
  whole；　abundant　cause　to　be　grateful？　　Truly；　yes！
  My　meditation　over；　I　left　the　milestone　and　proceeded　on　my　way　in
  the　same　direction　as　before　until　the　night　began　to　close　in。　　I
  had　always　been　a　good　pedestrian；　but　now；　whether　owing　to
  indisposition　or　to　not　having　for　some　time　past　been　much　in　the
  habit　of　taking　such　lengthy　walks；　I　began　to　feel　not　a　little
  weary。　　Just　as　I　was　thinking　of　putting　up　for　the　night　at　the
  next　inn　or　public…house　I　should　arrive　at；　I　heard　what　sounded
  like　a　coach　coming　up　rapidly　behind　me。　　Induced；　perhaps；　by　the
  weariness　which　I　felt；　I　stopped　and　looked　wistfully　in　the
  direction　of　the　sound；　presently　up　came　a　coach；　seemingly　a
  mail；　drawn　by　four　bounding　horses　…　there　was　no　one　upon　it　but
  the　coachman　and　the　guard；　when　nearly　parallel　with　me　it
  stopped。　　'Want　to　get　up？'　sounded　a　voice；　in　the　true　coachman…
  like　tone　…　half　querulous；　half　authoritative。　　I　hesitated；　I　was
  tired；　it　is　true；　but　I　had　left　London　bound　on　a　pedestrian
  excursion；　and　I　did　not　much　like　the　idea　of　having　recourse　to　a
  coach　after　accomplishing　so　very　inconsiderable　a　distance。
  'Come；　we　can't　be　staying　here　all　night；'　said　the　voice；　more
  sharply　than　before。　　'I　can　ride　a　little　way；　and　get　down
  whenever　I　like；'　thought　I；　and　springing　forward　I　clambered　up
  the　coach；　and　was　going　to　sit　down　upon　the　box；　next　the
  coachman。　　'No；　no；'　said　the　coachman；　who　was　a　man　about　thirty；
  with　a　hooked　nose　and　red　face；　dressed　in　a　fashionably…cut
  greatcoat；　with　a　fashionable　black　castor　on　his　head。　　'No；　no；
  keep　behind　…the　box　ain't　for　the　like　of　you；'　said　he；　as　he
  drove　off；　'the　box　is　for　lords；　or　gentlemen　at　least。'　　I　made
  no　answer。　　'D…　that　off…hand　leader；'　said　the　coachman；　as　the
  right…hand　front　horse　made　a　desperate　start　at　something　he　saw
  in　the　road；　and；　half　rising；　he　with　great　dexterity　hit　with　his
  long　whip　the　off…hand　leader　a　cut　on　the　off　cheek。　　'These　seem
  to　be　fine　horses；'　said　I。　　The　coachman　made　no　answer。　　'Nearly
  thoroughbred；