appearance of an excellent
frieze jacket, such as porters and draymen usually wear, with two
outside pockets on the sides, into one of which she drove her arm up to
the elbow, and in the other hand carried her staff like a man--I thought
she wore the cap, too, a little to the one side on her head. Indeed,
a more ludicrous appearance could scarcely be conceived than she now
exhibited. I, on the other hand, cut an original figure, being six
feet high, with a short gray cloak pinned tightly about me, my black
cassimere small-clothes peeping below it--my long, yellow, polar legs,
unencumbered with calves, quite naked--a good hat over the cloak--but
no shoes on my feet, marching thus gravely upon my pilgrimage, with two
such figures!

In this singular costume did we advance the rain all the time falling
in torrents. The town, however, was not far distant, and we arrived at
a little thatched house, where "dry lodgin'" was offered above the door,
both to "man and baste;" and never did an unfortunate group stand more
in need of dry lodging, for we were wet to the skin. On entering the
town, we met a carriage, in which were a gentleman and two ladies: I
chanced to be walking a little before the woman, but could perceive, by
casting a glance into the carriage, that they were in convulsions with
laughter; to which I have strong misgivings of having contributed in no
ordinary degree. But I felt more indignant at the wit, forsooth, of the
well-fed serving-man behind the coach, who should also have his joke
upon us; for as we passed, he turned to my companion, whom he addressed
as a male personage--"And why, you old villain, do you drive your cub to
the 'island' pinioned in such a manner,--give him the use of his
arms, you sinner!"--thus intimating that I was a booby son of her's
in leading-strings. The old lady looked at him with a very peculiar
expression of countenance; I thought she smiled, but never did a smile
appear to me so pregnant with bitterness and cursing scorn. "Ay," said
she, "there goes the well-fed heretic, that neither fasts nor prays--his
God is his belly--they have the fat of the land for the present, your
Reverence, but wait a bit. In the mane time, we had betther get in
here a little, till this shower passes--you see the sun's beginnin' to
brighten behind the rain, so it can't last long: and a bit of breakfast
will do none of us any harm." We then entered the house aforesaid, which
presented a miserable prospec