coarseness　of　the　fare；　I　ate　with　appetite。　　My　provisions　had　by
  this　time　been　very　much　diminished；　and　I　saw　that　it　would　be
  speedily　necessary；　in　the　event　of　my　continuing　to　reside　in　the
  dingle；　to　lay　in　a　fresh　store。　　After　my　meal；　I　went　to　the　pit
  and　filled　a　can　with　water；　which　I　brought　to　the　dingle；　and
  then　again　sat　down　on　my　stone。　　I　considered　what　I　should　next
  do：　　it　was　necessary　to　do　something；　or　my　life　in　this　solitude
  would　be　insupportable。　　What　should　I　do？　rouse　up　my　forge　and
  fashion　a　horse…shoe？　　But　I　wanted　nerve　and　heart　for　such　an
  employment；　moreover；　I　had　no　motive　for　fatiguing　myself　in　this
  manner；　my　own　horse　was　shod；　no　other　was　at　hand；　and　it　is　hard
  to　work　for　the　sake　of　working。　　What　should　I　do？　read？　　Yes；　but
  I　had　no　other　book　than　the　Bible　which　the　Welsh　Methodist　had
  given　me。　　Well；　why　not　read　the　Bible？　I　was　once　fond　of　reading
  the　Bible；　ay；　but　those　days　were　long　gone　by。　　However；　I　did
  not　see　what　else　I　could　well　do　on　the　present　occasion　…　so　I
  determined　to　read　the　Bible　…　it　was　in　Welsh；　at　any　rate　it
  might　amuse　me。　　So　I　took　the　Bible　out　of　the　sack；　in　which　it
  was　lying　in　the　cart；　and　began　to　read　at　the　place　where　I
  chanced　to　open　it。　　I　opened　it　at　that　part　where　the　history　of
  Saul　commences。　　At　first　I　read　with　indifference；　but　after　some
  time　my　attention　was　riveted；　and　no　wonder；　I　had　come　to　the
  visitations　of　Saul　…　those　dark　moments　of　his；　when　he　did　and
  said　such　unaccountable　things；　it　almost　appeared　to　me　that　I　was
  reading　of　myself；　I；　too；　had　my　visitations；　dark　as　ever　his
  were。　　Oh；　how　I　sympathised　with　Saul；　the　tall　dark　man！　　I　had
  read　his　life　before；　but　it　had　made　no　impression　on　me；　it　had
  never　occurred　to　me　that　I　was　like　him；　but　I　now　sympathised
  with　Saul；　for　my　own　dark　hour　was　but　recently　passed；　and；
  perhaps；　would　soon　return　again；　the　dark　hour　came　frequently　on
  Saul。
  Time　wore　away；　I　finished　the　book　of　Saul；　and；　closing　the
  volume；　returned　it　to　its　place。　　I　then　returned　to　my　seat　on
  the　stone；　and　thought　of　what　I　had　read；　and　what　I　had　lately
  undergone。　　All　at　once　I　thought　I　felt　well…known　sensations；　a
  cramping　of　the　breast；　and　a　tingling　of　the　soles　of　the　feet；
  they　were　what　I　had　felt　on　the　preceding　day　…　they　were　the
  forerunners　of　the　fear。　　I　sat　motionless　on　my　stone；　the
  sensations　passed　away；　and　the　fear　came　not。　　Darkness　was　now
  coming　again　over　the　earth；　the　dingle　was　again　in　deep　shade；　I
  roused　the　fire　with　the　breath　of　the　bellows；　and　sat　looking　at
  the　cheerful　glow；　it　was　cheering　and　comforting。　　My　little　horse
  came　now　and　lay　down　on　the　ground　beside　the　forge；　I　was　not
  quite　deserted。　　I　again　ate　some　of　the　coarse　food；　and　drank
  plentifully　of　the　water　which　I　had　fetched　in　the　morning。　　I
  then　put　fresh　fuel　on　the　fire；　and　sat　for　a　long　time　looking　on
  the　blaze；　I　then　went　into　my　tent。
  I　awoke；　on　my　own　calculation；　about　midnight　…　it　was　pitch　dark；
  and　there　was　much　fear　upon　me。
  CHAPTER　LXXXV
  Free　and　independent　…　I　don't　see　why　…　Oats　…　A　noise　…　Unwelcome
  visitors　…　What's　the　matter？　…　Good…day　to　ye　…　The　tall　girl　…
  Dovrefeld　…　Blow　on　the　face　…　Civil　enough　…　What's　this？　…　Vulgar
  woman　…　Hands　off　…　Gasping　for　breath　…　Long　Melford　…　A　pretty
  manoeuvre　…　A　long　draught　…　Signs　of　animation　…　It　won't　do　…　No
  malice　…　Bad　people。
  Two　mornings　after　the　period　to　which　I　have　brought　the　reader　in
  the　preceding　chapter；　I　sat　by　my　fire　at　the　bottom　of　the
  dingle；　I　had　just　breakfasted；　and　had　finished　the　last　morsel　of
  food　which　I　had　brought　with　me　to　that　solitude。
  'What　shall　I　now　do？'　said　I　to　myself；　'shall　I　continue　here；　or
  decamp？　…　this　is　a　sad　lonely　spot　…　perhaps　I　had　better　quit　it；
  but　whither　shall　I　go？　the　wide　world　is　before　me；　but　what　can　I
  do　therein？　　I　have　been　in　the　world　already　without　much　success。
  No；　I　had　better　remain　here；　the　place　is　lonely；　it　is　true；　but
  here　I　am　free　and　independent；　and　can　do　what　I　please；　but　I
  can't　remain　here　without　food。　　Well；　I　will　find　my　way　to　the
  nearest　town；　lay　in　a　fresh　supply　of　provision；　and　come　back；
  turning　my　back　upon　the　world；　which　has　turned　its　back　upon　me。
  I　don't　see　why　I　should　not　write　a　little　sometimes；　I　have　pens
  and　an　ink…horn；　and　for　a　writing…desk　I　can　place　the　Bible　on　my
  knee。　　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　I　could　write　a　capital　satire　on　the
  world　on　the　back　of　that　Bible；　but；　first　of　all；　I　must　think　of
  supplying　myself　with　food。'
  I　rose　up　from　the　stone　on　which　I　was　seated；　determining　to　go
  to　the　nearest　town；　with　my　little　horse　and　cart；　and　procure
  what　I　wanted。　　The　nearest　town；　according　to　my　best　calculation；
  lay　about　five　miles　distant；　I　had　no　doubt；　however；　that；　by
  using　ordinary　diligence；　I　should　be　back　before　evening。　　In
  order　to　go　lighter；　I　determined　to　leave　my　tent　standing　as　it
  was；　and　all　the　things　which　I　had　purchased　of　the　tinker；　just
  as　they　were。　　'I　need　not　be　apprehensive　on　their　account；'　said
  I　to　myself；　'nobody　will　come　here　to　meddle　with　them　…　the　great
  recommendation　of　this　place　is　its　perfect　solitude　…　I　daresay
  that　I　could　live　here　six　months　without　seeing　a　single　human
  visage。　　I　will　now　harness　my　little　gry　and　be　off　to　the　town。'
  At　a　whistle　which　I　gave；　the　little　gry；　which　was　feeding　on　the
  bank　near　the　uppermost　part　of　the　dingle；　came　running　to　me；　for
  by　this　time　he　had　become　so　accustomed　to　me　that　he　would　obey
  my　call；　for　all　the　world　as　if　he　had　been　one　of　the　canine
  species。　　'Now；'　said　I　to　him；　'we　are　going　to　the　town　to　buy
  bread　for　myself　and　oats　for　you　…　I　am　in　a　hurry　to　be　back；
  therefore　I　pray　you　to　do　your　best；　and　to　draw　me　and　the　cart
  to　the　town　with　all　possible　speed；　and　to　bring　us　back；　if　you
  do　your　best；　I　promise　you　oats　on　your　return。　　You　know　the
  meaning　of　oats；　Ambrol？'　　Ambrol　whinnied　as　if　to　let　me　know
  that　he　understood　me　perfectly　well；　as　indeed　he　well　might；　as　I
  had　never　once　fed　him　during　the　time　that　he　had　been　in　my
  possession　without　saying　the　word　in　question　to　him。　　Now；
  Ambrol；　in　the　gypsy　tongue；　signifieth　a　pear。
  So　I　caparisoned　Ambrol；　and　then；　going　to　the　cart；　I　removed　two
  or　three　things　from　it　into　the　tent；　I　then　lifted　up　the　shafts；
  and　was　just　going　to　call　to　the　pony　to　come　and　be　fastened　to
  them；　when　I　thought　I　heard　a　noise。
  I　stood　stock　still；　supporting　the　shaft　of　the　little　cart　in　my
  hand；　and　bending　the　right　side　of　my　face　slightly　towards　the
  ground；　but　I　could　hear　nothing；　the　noise　which　I　thought　I　had
  heard　was　not　one　of　those　sounds　which　I　was　accustomed　to　hear　in
  that　solitude　…　the　note　of　a　bird；　or　the　rustling　of　a　bough；　it
  was　…　there　I　heard　it　again；　a　sound　very　much　resembling　the
  grating　of　a　wheel　amongst　gravel。　　Could　it　proceed　from　the　road？
  Oh　no；　the　road　was　too　far　distant　for　me　to　hear　the　noise　of
  anything　moving　along　it。　Again　I　listened；　and　now　I　distinctly
  heard　the　sound　of　wheels；　which　seemed　to　be　approaching　the
  dingle；　nearer　and　nearer　they　drew；　and　presently　the　sound　of
  wheels　was　blended　with　the　murmur　of　voices。　　Anon　I　heard　a
  boisterous　shout；　which　seemed　to　proceed　from　the　entrance　of　the
  dingle。　　'Here　are　folks　at　hand；'　said　I；　letting　the　shaft　of　the
  cart　fall　to　the　ground；　'is　it　possible　that　they　can　be　coming
  here？'　　My　doubts　on　that　point；　if　I　entertained　any；　were　soon
  dispelled；　the　wheels；　which　had　ceased　moving　for　a　moment　or　two；
  were　once　again　in　motion；　and　were　now　evidently　moving　down　the
  winding　path　which　led　to　my　retreat。　　Leaving　my　cart；　I　came
  forward　and　placed　myself　near　the　entrance　of　the　open　space；　with
  my　eyes　fixed　on　the　path　down　which　my　unexpected；　and　I　may　say
  unwelcome；　visitors　were　coming。　　Presently　I　heard　a　stamping　or
  sliding；　as　if　of　a　horse　in　some　difficulty；　then　a　loud　curse；
  and　the　next　moment　appeared　a　man　and　a　horse　and　cart；　the　former
  holding　the　head　of　the　horse　up　to　prevent　him　from　falling；　of
  which　he　was　in　danger；　owing　to　the　precipitous　nature　of　the
  path。　　Whilst　thus　occupied；　the　head　of　the　man　was　averted　from
  me。　　When；　however；　he　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　descent；　he
  turned　his　head；　and　perceiving　me；　as　I　stood　bareheaded；　without
  either　coat　or　waistcoat；　about　two　yards　from　him；　he　gave　a
  sudden　start；　so　violent　that　the　backward　motion　of　his　hand　had
  nearly　flung　the　horse　upon　his　haunches。
  'Why　don't　you　move　forward？'　said　a　voice　from　behind；　apparently
  that　of　a　female；　'you　are　stopping　up　the　way；　and　we