t have entirely
counteracted the effects of the chalybeate properties contained in the
water. I am glad I was lucky enough to hit upon the right thing.

But "drinking the waters" was only a small portion of the torture I
experienced during that memorable month--a month which was, without
exception, the most miserable I have ever spent. During the best part of
it I religiously followed the doctor's mandate and did nothing whatever,
except moon about the house and garden and go out for two hours a day in
a Bath chair. That did break the monotony to a certain extent. There is
more excitement about Bath-chairing--especially if you are not used to
the exhilarating exercise--than might appear to the casual observer. A
sense of danger, such as a mere outsider might not understand, is ever
present to the mind of the occupant. He feels convinced every minute
that the whole concern is going over, a conviction which becomes
especially lively whenever a ditch or a stretch of newly macadamized
road comes in sight. Every vehicle that passes he expects is going to
run into him; and he never finds himself ascending or descending a
hill without immediately beginning to speculate upon his chances,
supposing--as seems extremely probable--that the weak-kneed controller
of his destiny should let go.

But even this diversion failed to enliven after awhile, and the _ennui_
became perfectly unbearable. I felt my mind giving way under it. It is
not a strong mind, and I thought it would be unwise to tax it too far.
So somewhere about the twentieth morning I got up early, had a good
breakfast, and walked straight off to Hayfield, at the foot of the
Kinder Scout--a pleasant, busy little town, reached through a lovely
valley, and with two sweetly pretty women in it. At least they were
sweetly pretty then; one passed me on the bridge and, I think, smiled;
and the other was standing at an open door, making an unremunerative
investment of kisses upon a red-faced baby. But it is years ago, and I
dare say they have both grown stout and snappish since that time.
Coming back, I saw an old man breaking stones, and it roused such strong
longing in me to use my arms that I offered him a drink to let me take
his place. He was a kindly old man and he humored me. I went for those
stones with the accumulated energy of three weeks, and did more work in
half an hour than he had done all day. But it did not make him jealous.

Having taken the plunge, I went furth