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nothing but ridicule in the present and punishment in the future。
Doubtless our officers winked pretty hard at this interchange of
courtesies； but doubtless it would be impossible to wink at so
gross a fault； or rather so pitiable a misadventure as mine； and
you are to conceive me wandering in the plains of Castile；
benighted； charged with a wine…skin for which I had no use； and
with no knowledge whatever of the whereabouts of my musket； beyond
that it was somewhere in my Lord Wellington's army。 But my
Englishman was either a very honest fellow； or else extremely
thirsty； and at last contrived to advertise me of his new position。
Now； the English sentry in Castile； and the wounded hero in the
Durham public…house； were one and the same person； and if he had
been a little less drunk； or myself less lively in getting away；
the travels of M。 St。 Ives might have come to an untimely end。
I suppose this woke me up； it stirred in me besides a spirit of
opposition； and in spite of cold； darkness； the highwaymen and the
footpads； I determined to walk right on till breakfast…time： a
happy resolution； which enabled me to observe one of those traits
of manners which at once depict a country and condemn it。 It was
near midnight when I saw； a great way ahead of me； the light of
many torches； presently after； the sound of wheels reached me； and
the slow tread of feet； and soon I had joined myself to the rear of
a sordid； silent； and lugubrious procession； such as we see in
dreams。 Close on a hundred persons marched by torchlight in
unbroken silence； in their midst a cart； and in the cart； on an
inclined platform； the dead body of a man … the centre…piece of
this solemnity； the hero whose obsequies we were come forth at this
unusual hour to celebrate。 It was but a plain； dingy old fellow of
fifty or sixty； his throat cut； his shirt turned over as though to
show the wound。 Blue trousers and brown socks completed his
attire； if we can talk so of the dead。 He had a horrid look of a
waxwork。 In the tossing of the lights he seemed to make faces and
mouths at us； to frown； and to be at times upon the point of
speech。 The cart； with this shabby and tragic freight； and
surrounded by its silent escort and bright torches； continued for
some distance to creak along the high…road； and I to follow it in
amazement； which was soon exchanged for horror。 At the corner of a
lane the procession stopped； and； as the torches ranged themselves
along the hedgerow…side； I became aware of a grave dug in the midst
of the thoroughfare； and a provision of quicklime piled in the
ditch。 The cart was backed to the margin； the body slung off the
platform and dumped into the grave with an irreverent roughness。 A
sharpened stake had hitherto served it for a pillow。 It was now
withdrawn； held in its place by several volunteers； and a fellow
with a heavy mallet （the sound of which still haunts me at night）
drove it home through the bosom of the corpse。 The hole was filled
with quicklime； and the bystanders； as if relieved of some
oppression； broke at once into a sound of whispered speech。
My shirt stuck to me； my heart had almost ceased beating； and I
found my tongue with difficulty。
'I beg your pardon；' I gasped to a neighbour； 'what is this？ what
has he done？ is it allowed？'
'Why； where do you come from？' replied the man。
'I am a traveller； sir；' said I； 'and a total stranger in this part
of the country。 I had lost my way when I saw your torches； and
came by chance on this … this incredible scene。 Who was the man？'
'A suicide；' said he。 'Ay； he was a bad one； was Johnnie Green。'
It appeared this was a wretch who had committed many barbarous
murders； and being at last upon the point of discovery fell of his
own hand。 And the nightmare at the crossroads was the regular
punishment； according to the laws of England； for an act which the
Romans honoured as a virtue！ Whenever an Englishman begins to
prate of civilisation （as； indeed； it's a defect they are rather
prone to）； I hear the measured blows of a mallet； see the
bystanders crowd with torches about the grave； smile a little to
myself in conscious superiority … and take a thimbleful of brandy
for the stomach's sake。
I believe it must have been at my next stage； for I remember going
to bed extremely early； that I came to the model of a good old…
fashioned English inn； and was attended on by the picture of a
pretty chambermaid。 We had a good many pleasant passages as she
waited table or warmed my bed for me with a devil of a brass
warming pan； fully larger than herself； and as she was no less pert
than she was pretty； she may be said to have given rather better
than she took。 I cannot tell why （unless it were for the sake of
her saucy eyes）； but I made her my confidante； told her I was
attached to a young lady in Scotland； and received the
encouragement of her sympathy； mingled and connected with a fair
amount of rustic wit。 While I slept the down…mail stopped for
supper； it chanced that one of the passengers left behind a copy of
the EDINBURGH COURANT； and the next morning my pretty chambermaid
set the paper before me at breakfast； with the remark that there
was some news from my lady…love。 I took it eagerly； hoping to find
some further word of our escape； in which I was disappointed； and I
was about to lay it down； when my eye fell on a paragraph
immediately concerning me。 Faa was in hospital； grievously sick；
and warrants were out for the arrest of Sim and Candlish。 These
two men had shown themselves very loyal to me。 This trouble
emerging； the least I could do was to be guided by a similar
loyalty to them。 Suppose my visit to my uncle crowned with some
success； and my finances re…established； I determined I should
immediately return to Edinburgh； put their case in the hands of a
good lawyer； and await events。 So my mind was very lightly made up
to what proved a mighty serious matter。 Candlish and Sim were all
very well in their way； and I do sincerely trust I should have been
at some pains to help them； had there been nothing else。 But in
truth my heart and my eyes were set on quite another matter； and I
received the news of their tribulation almost with joy。 That is
never a bad wind that blows where we want to go； and you may be
sure there was nothing unwelcome in a circumstance that carried me
back to Edinburgh and Flora。 From that hour I began to indulge
myself with the making of imaginary scenes and interviews； in which
I confounded the aunt； flattered Ronald； and now in the witty； now
in the sentimental manner； declared my love and received the
assurance of its return。 By means of this exercise my resolution
daily grew stronger； until at last I had piled together such a mass
of obstinacy as it would have taken a cataclysm of nature to
subvert。
'Yes；' said I to the chambermaid； 'here is news of my lady…love
indeed； and very good news too。'
All that day； in the teeth of a keen winter wind； I hugged myself
in my plaid； and it was as though her arms were flung around me。
CHAPTER XII … I FOLLOW A COVERED CART NEARLY TO MY DESTINATION
AT last I began to draw near； by reasonable stages； to the
neighbourhood of Wakefield； and the name of Mr。 Burchell Fenn came
to the top in my memory。 This was the gentleman （the reader may
remember） who made a trade of forwarding the escape of French
prisoners。 How he did so： whether he had a sign…board； ESCAPES
FORWARDED； APPLY WITHIN； what he charged for his services； or
whether they were gratuitous and charitable； were all matters of
which I was at once ignorant and extremely curious。 Thanks to my
proficiency in English； and Mr。 Romaine's bank…notes； I was getting
on swimmingly without him； but the trouble was that I could not be
easy till I had come to the bottom of these mysteries； and it was
my difficulty that I knew nothing of him beyond the name。 I knew
not his trade beyond that of Forwarder of Escapes … whether he
lived in town or country； whether he were rich or poor； nor by what
kind of address I was to gain his confidence。 It would have a very
bad appearance to go along the highwayside asking after a man of
whom I could give so scanty an account； and I should look like a
fool； indeed； if I were to present myself at his door and find the
police in occupation！ The interest of the conundrum； however；
tempted me； and I turned aside from my direct road to pass by
Wakefield； kept my ears pricked； as I went； for any mention of his
name； and relied for the rest on my good fortune。 If Luck （who
must certainly be feminine） favoured me as far as to throw me in
the man's way； I should owe the lady a candle； if not； I could very
readily console myself。 In this experimental hum