Yes,' said the old man, 'I have learnt Chinese.'

'Well,' said I, 'I really would counsel you to learn to know what's
o'clock as soon as possible. Consider what a sad thing it would be to go
out of the world not knowing what's o'clock. A millionth part of the
trouble required to learn Chinese would, if employed, infallibly teach
you to know what's o'clock.'

'I had a motive for learning Chinese,' said the old man, 'the hope of
appeasing the misery in my head. With respect to not knowing what's
o'clock, I cannot see anything particularly sad in the matter. A man may
get through the world very creditably without knowing what's o'clock.
Yet, upon the whole, it is no bad thing to know what's o'clock--you, of
course, do? It would be too good a joke if two people were to be
together, one knowing Armenian and the other Chinese, and neither knowing
what's o'clock. I'll now see you off.'

CHAPTER XXXVI

ARRIVAL AT HORNCASTLE--THE INN AND OSTLERS--THE GARRET--FIGURE OF A MAN
WITH A CANDLE

Leaving the house of the old man who knew Chinese, but could not tell
what was o'clock, I wended my way to Horncastle, which I reached in the
evening of the same day, without having met any adventure on the way
worthy of being marked down in this very remarkable history.

The town was a small one, seemingly ancient, and was crowded with people
and horses. I proceeded, without delay, to the inn to which my friend
the surgeon had directed me. 'It is of no use coming here,' said two or
three ostlers, as I entered the yard--'all full--no room whatever;'
whilst one added, in an undertone, 'That 'ere ain't a bad-looking horse.'
'I want to see the master of this inn,' said I, as I dismounted from the
horse. 'See the master,' said an ostler--the same who had paid the
negative kind of compliment to the horse--'a likely thing, truly. My
master is drinking wine with some of the grand gentry, and can't be
disturbed for the sake of the like of you.' 'I bring a letter to him,'
said I, pulling out the surgeon's epistle. 'I wish you would deliver it
to him,' I added, offering a half-crown. 'Oh, it's you, is it?' said the
ostler, taking the letter and the half-crown. 'My master will be right
glad to see you. Why you hain't been here for many a long year. I'll
carry the note to him at once.' And with these words he hurried into the
house. 'That's a nice horse, young man,' said another ostler. 'What
will you take for it?' to which