the seven poor travellers-第7节

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the　beef；and　the　Wassail　is　out　of　the　questionbut　in　every

endeavour　that　I　made　to　get　to　sleep　I　failed　most　dismally。　　I　was

never　asleep；　and　in　whatsoever　unreasonable　direction　my　mind

rambled；　the　effigy　of　Master　Richard　Watts　perpetually　embarrassed

it。



In　a　word；　I　only　got　out　of　the　Worshipful　Master　Richard　Watts's

way　by　getting　out　of　bed　in　the　dark　at　six　o'clock；　and　tumbling；

as　my　custom　is；　into　all　the　cold　water　that　could　be　accumulated

for　the　purpose。　　The　outer　air　was　dull　and　cold　enough　in　the

street；　when　I　came　down　there；　and　the　one　candle　in　our　supper…

room　at　Watts's　Charity　looked　as　pale　in　the　burning　as　if　it　had

had　a　bad　night　too。　　But　my　Travellers　had　all　slept　soundly；　and

they　took　to　the　hot　coffee；　and　the　piles　of　bread…and…butter；

which　Ben　had　arranged　like　deals　in　a　timber…yard；　as　kindly　as　I

could　desire。



While　it　was　yet　scarcely　daylight；　we　all　came　out　into　the　street

together；　and　there　shook　hands。　　The　widow　took　the　little　sailor

towards　Chatham；　where　he　was　to　find　a　steamboat　for　Sheerness；　the

lawyer；　with　an　extremely　knowing　look；　went　his　own　way；　without

committing　himself　by　announcing　his　intentions；　two　more　struck　off

by　the　cathedral　and　old　castle　for　Maidstone；　and　the　book…pedler

accompanied　me　over　the　bridge。　　As　for　me；　I　was　going　to　walk　by

Cobham　Woods；　as　far　upon　my　way　to　London　as　I　fancied。



When　I　came　to　the　stile　and　footpath　by　which　I　was　to　diverge　from

the　main　road；　I　bade　farewell　to　my　last　remaining　Poor　Traveller；

and　pursued　my　way　alone。　　And　now　the　mists　began　to　rise　in　the

most　beautiful　manner；　and　the　sun　to　shine；　and　as　I　went　on

through　the　bracing　air；　seeing　the　hoarfrost　sparkle　everywhere；　I

felt　as　if　all　Nature　shared　in　the　joy　of　the　great　Birthday。



Going　through　the　woods；　the　softness　of　my　tread　upon　the　mossy

ground　and　among　the　brown　leaves　enhanced　the　Christmas　sacredness

by　which　I　felt　surrounded。　　As　the　whitened　stems　environed　me；　I

thought　how　the　Founder　of　the　time　had　never　raised　his　benignant

hand；　save　to　bless　and　heal；　except　in　the　case　of　one　unconscious

tree。　　By　Cobham　Hall；　I　came　to　the　village；　and　the　churchyard

where　the　dead　had　been　quietly　buried；　〃in　the　sure　and　certain

hope〃　which　Christmas　time　inspired。　　What　children　could　I　see　at

play；　and　not　be　loving　of；　recalling　who　had　loved　them！　　No　garden

that　I　passed　was　out　of　unison　with　the　day；　for　I　remembered　that

the　tomb　was　in　a　garden；　and　that　〃she；　supposing　him　to　be　the

gardener；〃　had　said；　〃Sir；　if　thou　have　borne　him　hence；　tell　me

where　thou　hast　laid　him；　and　I　will　take　him　away。〃　　In　time；　the

distant　river　with　the　ships　came　full　in　view；　and　with　it　pictures

of　the　poor　fishermen；　mending　their　nets；　who　arose　and　followed

him；of　the　teaching　of　the　people　from　a　ship　pushed　off　a　little

way　from　shore；　by　reason　of　the　multitude；of　a　majestic　figure

walking　on　the　water；　in　the　loneliness　of　night。　　My　very　shadow　on

the　ground　was　eloquent　of　Christmas；　for　did　not　the　people　lay

their　sick　where　the　more　shadows　of　the　men　who　had　heard　and　seen

him　might　fall　as　they　passed　along？



Thus　Christmas　begirt　me；　far　and　near；　until　I　had　come　to

Blackheath；　and　had　walked　down　the　long　vista　of　gnarled　old　trees

in　Greenwich　Park；　and　was　being　steam…rattled　through　the　mists　now

closing　in　once　more；　towards　the　lights　of　London。　　Brightly　they

shone；　but　not　so　brightly　as　my　own　fire；　and　the　brighter　faces

around　it；　when　we　came　together　to　celebrate　the　day。　　And　there　I

told　of　worthy　Master　Richard　Watts；　and　of　my　supper　with　the　Six

Poor　Travellers　who　were　neither　Rogues　nor　Proctors；　and　from　that

hour　to　this　I　have　never　seen　one　of　them　again。











End