,'
said the man; 'do let us drink before we part.' 'I have been through
that village already,' said I, 'and I do not like turning back.' 'Ah,'
said the man, sorrowfully, 'you will not drink with me because I told you
I was--' 'You are quite mistaken,' said I, 'I would as soon drink with a
convict as with a judge. I am by no means certain that, under the same
circumstances, the judge would be one whit better than the convict. Come
along! I will go back to oblige you. I have an odd sixpence in my
pocket, which I will change that I may drink with you.' So we went down
the hill together to the village through which I had already passed,
where, finding a public-house, we drank together in true English fashion,
after which we parted, the sailor-looking man going his way and I mine.

After walking about a dozen miles, I came to a town, where I rested for
the night. The next morning I set out again in the direction of the
north-west. I continued journeying for four days, my daily journeys
varying from twenty to twenty-five miles. During this time nothing
occurred to me worthy of any especial notice. The weather was brilliant,
and I rapidly improved both in strength and spirits. On the fifth day,
about two o'clock, I arrived at a small town. Feeling hungry, I entered
a decent-looking inn--within a kind of bar I saw a huge, fat,
landlord-looking person, with a very pretty, smartly-dressed maiden.
Addressing myself to the fat man, 'House!' said I, 'house! Can I have
dinner, house?'

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

PRIMITIVE HABITS--ROSY-FACED DAMSEL--A PLEASANT MOMENT--SUIT OF
BLACK--THE FURTIVE GLANCE--THE MIGHTY ROUND--THESE DEGENERATE TIMES--THE
NEWSPAPER--THE EVIL CHANCE--I MUST CONGRATULATE YOU

'Young gentleman,' said the huge fat landlord, 'you are come at the right
time; dinner will be taken up in a few minutes, and such a dinner,' he
continued, rubbing his hands, 'as you will not see every day in these
times.'

'I am hot and dusty,' said I, 'and should wish to cool my hands and
face.'

'Jenny!' said the huge landlord, with the utmost gravity, 'show the
gentleman into number seven, that he may wash his hands and face.'

'By no means,' said I, 'I am a person of primitive habits, and there is
nothing like the pump in weather like this.'

'Jenny,' said the landlord, with the same gravity as before, 'go with the
young gentleman to the pump in the back kitchen, and take a clean towel
along with you.'

Th