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The Seven Poor Travellers



by Charles Dickens











CHAPTER IIN THE OLD CITY OF ROCHESTER







Strictly speaking; there were only six Poor Travellers; but; being a

Traveller myself; though an idle one; and being withal as poor as I

hope to be; I brought the number up to seven。  This word of

explanation is due at once; for what says the inscription over the

quaint old door?





RICHARD WATTS; Esq。

by his Will; dated 22 Aug。 1579;

founded this Charity

for Six poor Travellers;

who not being ROGUES; or PROCTORS;

May receive gratis for one Night;

Lodging; Entertainment;

and Fourpence each。





It was in the ancient little city of Rochester in Kent; of all the

good days in the year upon a Christmas…eve; that I stood reading

this inscription over the quaint old door in question。  I had been

wandering about the neighbouring Cathedral; and had seen the tomb of

Richard Watts; with the effigy of worthy Master Richard starting out

of it like a ship's figure…head; and I had felt that I could do no

less; as I gave the Verger his fee; than inquire the way to Watts's

Charity。  The way being very short and very plain; I had come

prosperously to the inscription and the quaint old door。



〃Now;〃 said I to myself; as I looked at the knocker; 〃I know I am

not a Proctor; I wonder whether I am a Rogue!〃



Upon the whole; though Conscience reproduced two or three pretty

faces which might have had smaller attraction for a moral Goliath

than they had had for me; who am but a Tom Thumb in that way; I came

to the conclusion that I was not a Rogue。  So; beginning to regard

the establishment as in some sort my property; bequeathed to me and

divers co…legatees; share and share alike; by the Worshipful Master

Richard Watts; I stepped backward into the road to survey my

inheritance。



I found it to be a clean white house; of a staid and venerable air;

with the quaint old door already three times mentioned (an arched

door); choice little long low lattice…windows; and a roof of three

gables。  The silent High Street of Rochester is full of gables; with

old beams and timbers carved into strange faces。  It is oddly

garnished with a queer old clock that projects over the pavement out

of a grave red…brick building; as if Time carried on business there;

and hung out his sign。  Sooth to say; he did an active stroke of

work in Rochester; in the old days of the Romans; and the Saxons;

and the Normans; and down to the times of King John; when the rugged

castleI will not undertake to say how many hundreds of years old

thenwas abandoned to the centuries of weather which have so

defaced the dark apertures in its walls; that the ruin looks as if

the rooks and daws had pecked its eyes out。



I was very well pleased; both with my property and its situation。

While I was yet surveying it with growing content; I espied; at one

of the upper lattices which stood open; a decent body; of a

wholesome matronly appearance; whose eyes I caught inquiringly

addressed to mine。  They said so plainly; 〃Do you wish to see the

house?〃 that I answered aloud; 〃Yes; if you please。〃  And within a

minute the old door opened; and I bent my head; and went down two

steps into the entry。



〃This;〃 said the matronly presence; ushering me into a low room on

the right; 〃is where the Travellers sit by the fire; and cook what

bits of suppers they buy with their fourpences。〃



〃O!  Then they have no Entertainment?〃 said I。  For the inscription

over the outer door was still running in my head; and I was mentally

repeating; in a kind of tune; 〃Lodging; entertainment; and fourpence

each。〃



〃They have a fire provided for 'em;〃 returned the matrona mighty

civil person; not; as I could make out; overpaid; 〃and these cooking

utensils。  And this what's painted on a board is the rules for their

behaviour。  They have their fourpences when they get their tickets

from the steward over the way;for I don't admit 'em myself; they

must get their tickets first;and sometimes one buys a rasher of

bacon; and another a herring; and another a pound of potatoes; or

what not。  Sometimes two or three of 'em will club their fourpences

together; and make a supper that way。  But not much of anything is

to be got for fourpence; at present; when provisions is so dear。〃



〃True indeed;〃 I remarked。  I had been looking about the room;

admiring its snug fireside at the upper end; its glimpse of the

street through the low mullioned window; and its beams overhead。

〃It is very comfortable;〃 said I。



〃Ill…conwenient;〃 observed the matronly presence。



I liked to hear her say so; for it showed a commendable anxiety to

execute in no niggardly spirit the intentions of Master Richard

Watts。  But the room was really so well adapted to its purpose that

I protested; quite enthusiastically; against her disparagement。



〃Nay; ma'am;〃 said I; 〃I am sure it is warm in winter and cool in

summer。  It has a look of homely welcome and soothing rest。  It has

a remarkably cosey fireside; the very blink of which; gleaming out

into the street upon a winter night; is enough to warm all

Rochester's heart。  And as to the convenience of the six Poor

Travellers〃



〃I don't mean them;〃 returned the presence。  〃I speak of its being

an ill…conwenience to myself and my daughter; having no other room

to sit in of a night。〃



This was true enough; but there was another quaint room of

corresponding dimensions on the opposite side of the entry:  so I

stepped across to it; through the open doors of both rooms; and

asked what this chamber was for。



〃This;〃 returned the presence; 〃is the Board Room。  Where the

gentlemen meet when they come here。〃



Let me see。  I had counted from the street six upper windows besides

these on the ground…story。  Making a perplexed calculation in my

mind; I rejoined; 〃Then the six Poor Travellers sleep upstairs?〃



My new friend shook her head。  〃They sleep;〃 she answered; 〃in two

little outer galleries at the back; where their beds has always

been; ever since the Charity was founded。  It being so very ill…

conwenient to me as things is at present; the gentlemen are going to

take off a bit of the back…yard; and make a slip of a room for 'em

there; to sit in before they go to bed。〃



〃And then the six Poor Travellers;〃 said I; 〃will be entirely out of

the house?〃



〃Entirely out of the house;〃 assented the presence; comfortably

smoothing her hands。  〃Which is considered much better for all

parties; and much more conwenient。〃



I had been a little startled; in the Cathedral; by the emphasis with

which the effigy of Master Richard Watts was bursting out of his

tomb; but I began to think; now; that it might be expected to come

across the High Street some stormy night; and make a disturbance

here。



Howbeit; I kept my thoughts to myself; and accompanied the presence

to the little galleries at the back。  I found them on a tiny scale;

like the galleries in old inn…yards; and they were very clean。



While I was looking at them; the matron gave me to understand that

the prescribed number of Poor Travellers were forthcoming every

night from year's end to year's end; and that the beds were always

occupied。  My questions upon this; and her replies; brought us back

to the Board Room so essential to the dignity of 〃the gentlemen;〃

where she showed me the printed accounts of the Charity hanging up

by the window。  From them I gathered that the greater part of the

property bequeathed by the Worshipful Master Richard Watts for the

maintenance of this foundation was; at the period of his death; mere

marsh…land; but that; in course of time; it had been reclaimed and

built upon; and was very considerably increased in value。  I found;

too; that about a thirtieth part of the annual revenue was now

expended on the purposes commemorated in the inscription over the

door; the rest being handsomely laid out in Chancery; law expenses;

collectorship; receivership; poundage; and other appendages of

management; highly complimentary to the importance of the six Poor

Travellers。  In short; I made the not entirely new discovery that it

may be said of an establishment like this; in dear old England; as

of the fat oyster in the American story; that it takes a good many

men to swallow it whole。



〃And pray; ma'am;〃 said I; sensible that the blankness of my face

began to brighten as the thought occurred to me; 〃could one see

these Travellers?〃



〃Well!〃 she returned dubiously; 〃no!〃



〃Not to…night; for instance!〃 said I。



〃Well!〃 she returned more positively; 〃no。  Nobody ever asked to see

them; and nobody ever did see them。〃



As I am not easily balked in a design when I am set upon it; I urged

to the good lady that this was Christmas…eve; that Christmas comes

but once a year;which is unhappily too true; for when it begins to

stay with us the whole year round we

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