presentlyafeelingaroseinmymind-afeelingofself-reproach。
WhomhadItoblamebutmyselfforthedepartureoftheArmenian？
WouldhehaveeverthoughtofattackingthePersianshadInotputtheideaintohishead？hehadtoldmeinhisepistlethathewasindebtedtomefortheidea。Butforthat，hemightatthepresentmomenthavebeeninLondon，increasinghisfortunebyhisusualmethods，andImightbecommencingunderhisauspicesthetranslationoftheHaikEsop，withthepromise，nodoubt，ofaconsiderableremunerationformytrouble；orImightbetakingaseatoppositetheMoldavianclerk，andimbibingthefirstrudimentsofdoingbusinessaftertheArmenianfashion，withthecomfortablehopeofrealising，inashorttime，afortuneofthreeorfourhundredthousandpounds；buttheArmenianwasnowgone，andfarewelltothefinehopesIhadfoundeduponhimthedaybefore。
WhatwasItodo？Ilookedwildlyaround，tillmyeyesrestedontheMoldavianclerk，whowaswritingawayinhisledgerwithparticularvehemence。Notknowingwellwhattodoortosay，I
thoughtImightaswellasktheMoldavianclerkwhentheArmenianhaddeparted，andwhenhethoughtthathewouldreturn。Itistrueitmatteredlittletomewhenhedeparted，seeingthathewasgone，anditwasevidentthathewouldnotbebacksoon；butIknewnotwhattodo，andinpurehelplessnessthoughtImightaswellask；
soIwentuptotheMoldavianclerk，andaskedhimwhentheArmenianhaddeparted，andwhetherhehadbeengonetwodaysorthree。WhereupontheMoldavianclerk，lookingupfromhisledger，madecertainsigns，whichIcouldbynomeansunderstand。Istoodastonished，but，presentlyrecoveringmyself，inquiredwhenheconsidereditprobablethatthemasterwouldreturn，andwhetherhethoughtitwouldbetwomonthsor-mytonguefaltered-twoyears；
whereupontheMoldavianclerkmademoresignsthanbefore，andyetmoreunintelligible；asIpersisted，however，heflungdownhispen，and，puttinghisthumbintohismouth，moveditrapidly，causingthenailtosoundagainstthelowerjaw；whereuponIsawthathewasdumb，andhurriedaway，forIhadalwaysentertainedahorrorofdumbpeople，havingonceheardmyanothersay，whenIwasachild，thatdumbpeoplewerehalfdemoniacs，orlittlebetter。
CHAPTERLII
Kindofstupor-PeaceofGod-Divinehand-Farewell，child-Thefair-Massiveedifice-Batteredtars-Lost!lost!-Good-day，gentlemen。
LEAVINGthehouseoftheArmenian，Istrolledaboutforsometime；
almostmechanicallymyfeetconductedmetoLondonBridge，totheboothinwhichstoodthestalloftheoldapple-woman；thesoundofhervoicearousedme，asIsatinakindofstuporonthestonebenchbesideher；shewasinquiringwhatwasthematterwithme。
Atfirst，Ibelieve，Iansweredherveryincoherently，forI
observedalarmbeginningtodepictitselfuponhercountenance。
Rousingmyself，however，Iinmyturnputafewquestionstoheruponherpresentconditionandprospects。Theoldwoman’scountenanceclearedupinstantly；sheinformedmethatshehadneverbeenmorecomfortableinherlife；thathertrade，herHONEST
trade-layinganemphasisonthewordhonest-hadincreasedoflatewonderfully；thatherhealthwasbetter，and，aboveall，thatshefeltnofearandhorror’here，’layingherhandonherbreast。
Onmyaskingherwhethershestillheardvoicesinthenight，shetoldmethatshefrequentlydid；butthatthepresentweremildvoices，sweetvoices，encouragingvoices，verydifferentfromtheformerones；thatavoice，onlythenightprevious，hadcriedoutabout’thepeaceofGod，’inparticularlysweetaccents；asentencewhichsherememberedtohavereadinherearlyyouthintheprimer，butwhichshehadcleanforgottentillthevoicethenightbeforebroughtittoherrecollection。
Afterapause，theoldwomansaidtome，’Ibelieve，dear，thatitistheblessedbookyoubroughtmewhichhaswroughtthisgoodlychange。HowgladIamnowthatIcanread；butohwhatadifferencebetweenthebookyoubroughttomeandtheoneyoutookaway!IbelievetheoneyoubroughtiswrittenbythefingerofGod，andtheotherby-’
’Don’tabusethebook，’saidI，’itisanexcellentbookforthosewhocanunderstandit；itwasnotexactlysuitedtoyou，andperhapsithadbeenbetterthatyouhadneverreadit-andyet，whoknows？Peradventure，ifyouhadnotreadthatbook，youwouldnothavebeenfittedfortheperusaloftheonewhichyousayiswrittenbythefingerofGod’；and，pressingmyhandtomyhead，I
fellintoadeepfitofmusing。’What，afterall，’thoughtI，’ifthereshouldbemoreorderandsystemintheworkingofthemoralworldthanIhavethought？DoestherenotseeminthepresentinstancetobesomethingliketheworkingofaDivinehand？I
couldnotconceivewhythiswoman，bettereducatedthanhermother，shouldhavebeen，asshecertainlywas，aworsecharacterthanhermother。Yetperhapsthiswomanmaybebetterandhappierthanhermothereverwas；perhapssheissoalready-perhapsthisworldisnotawild，lyingdream，asIhaveoccasionallysupposedittobe。’
Butthethoughtofmyownsituationdidnotpermitmetoabandonmyselfmuchlongertothesemusings。Istartedup。’Whereareyougoing，child？’saidthewoman，anxiously。’Iscarcelyknow，’saidI；’anywhere。’’Thenstayhere，child，’saidshe；’Ihavemuchtosaytoyou。’’No，’saidI，’Ishallbebettermovingabout’；andI
wasmovingaway，whenitsuddenlyoccurredtomethatImightneverseethiswomanagain；andturningroundIofferedhermyhand，andbadehergood-bye。’Farewell，child，’saidtheoldwoman，’andGodblessyou!’IthenmovedalongthebridgeuntilIreachedtheSouthwarkside，and，stillholdingonmycourse，mymindagainbecamequicklyabstractedfromallsurroundingobjects。
AtlengthIfoundmyselfinastreetorroad，withterracesoneitherside，andseeminglyofinterminablelength，leading，asitwouldappear，tothesouth-east。Iwaswalkingatagreatrate-
therewerelikewiseagreatnumberofpeople，alsowalkingatagreatrate；alsocartsandcarriagesdrivingatagreatrate；andall-men，carts，andcarriages-goingintheselfsamedirection，namelytothesouth-east。IstoppedforamomentanddeliberatedwhetherornotIshouldproceed。WhatbusinesshadIinthatdirection？IcouldnotsaythatIhadanyparticularbusinessinthatdirection，butwhatcouldIdowereItoturnback？onlywalkaboutwell-knownstreets；and，ifImustwalk，whynotcontinueinthedirectioninwhichIwastoseewhithertheroadanditsterracesled？IwasereinaTERRAINCOGNITA，andanunknownplacehadalwayssomeinterestforme；moreover，Ihadadesiretoknowwhitherallthiscrowdwasgoing，andforwhatpurpose。Ithoughttheycouldnotbegoingfar，ascrowdsseldomgofar，especiallyatsucharate；soIwalkedonmorelustilythanbefore，passinggroupaftergroupofthecrowd，andalmostvyinginspeedwithsomeofthecarriages，especiallythehackney-coaches；and，bydintofwalkingatthisrate，theterracesandhousesbecomingsomewhatlessfrequentasIadvanced，Ireachedinaboutthree-quartersofanhourakindoflowdingytown，intheneighbourhoodoftheriver；thestreetswereswarmingwithpeople，andIconcluded，fromthenumberofwild-beastshows，caravans，gingerbreadstalls，andthelike，thatafairwasbeingheld。Now，asIhadalwaysbeenpartialtofairs，IfeltgladthatIhadfalleninwiththecrowdwhichhadconductedmetothepresentone，and，castingawayasmuchasIwasableallgloomythoughts，Ididmybesttoenterintothediversionsofthefair；staringatthewonderfulrepresentationsofanimalsoncanvashungupbeforetheshowsofwildbeasts，which，bythebye，arefrequentlyfoundmuchmoreworthyofadmirationthantherealbeaststhemselves；listeningtothejokesofthemerry-andrewsfromtheplatformsinfrontofthetemporarytheatres，oradmiringthesplendidtinseldressesoftheperformerswhothrongedthestagesintheintervalsoftheentertainments；andinthismanner，occasionallygazingandoccasionallylistening，IpassedthroughthetowntillIcameinfrontofalargeedificelookingfulluponthemajesticbosomoftheThames。
Itwasamassivestoneedifice，builtinanantiquestyle，andblackwithage，withabroadesplanadebetweenitandtheriver，onwhich，mixedwithafewpeoplefromthefair，Iobservedmovingaboutagreatmanyindividualsinquaintdressesofblue，withstrangethree-corneredhatsontheirheads；mostofthemweremutilated；thishadawoodenleg-thiswantedanarm；somehadbutoneeye；andasIgazedupontheedifice，andthesingular-lookingindividualswhomovedbeforeit，IguessedwhereIwas。’Iamat-
’saidI；’theseindividualsarebatteredtarsofOldEngland，andthisedifice，oncethefavouriteabodeofGloriousElizabeth，istherefugewhichagratefulcountryhasallottedtothem。Heretheycanresttheirwearybodies；attheireasetalkovertheactionsinwhichtheyhavebeeninjured；and，withthetearofenthusiasmflowingfromtheireyes，boasthowtheyhavetrodthedeckoffamewithRodney，orNelson，orotherswhosenamesstandemblazonedinthenavalannalsoftheircountry。’
Turningtotheright，Ienteredaparkorwoodconsistingofenormoustrees，occupyingthefoot，sides，andtopofahillwhichrosebehindthetown；thereweremultitudesofpeopleamongthetrees，divertingthemselvesinvariousways。Comingtothetopofthehill，Iwaspresent’ystoppedbyaloftywall，alongwhichI
walked，till，comingtoasmallgate，Ipassedthrough，andfoundmyselfonanextensivegreenplain，ononesideboundedinpartbythewallofthepark，andontheothers，inthedistance，byextensiverangesofhouses；tothesouth-eastwasaloftyeminence，partiallyclothedwithwood。Theplainexhibitedananimatedscene，akindofcontinuationofthefairbelow；thereweremultitudesofpeopleuponit，manytents，andshows；therewasalsohorse-racing，andmuchnoiseandshouting，thesunshiningbrightlyoverhead。Aftergazingatthehorse-racingforalittletime，feelingmyselfsomewhattired，Iwentuptooneofthetents，andlaidmyselfdownonthegrass。Therewasmuchnoiseinthetent。
’Whowillstandme？’saidavoicewithaslighttendencytolisp。
’Willyou，mylord？’’Yes，’saidanothervoice。Thentherewasasoundasofapieceofmoneybangingonatable。’Lost!lost!
lost!’criedseveralvoices；andthenthebangingdownofthemoney，andthe’lost!lost!lost!’werefrequentlyrepeated；atlastthesecondvoiceexclaimed，’Iwilltrynomore；youhavecheatedme。’’Nevercheatedanyoneinmylife，mylord-allfair-allchance。Themthatfinds，wins-themthatcan’tfinds，loses。Anyoneelsetry？Who’lltry？Willyou，mylord？’andthenitappearedthatsomeotherlordtried，forIheardmoremoneyflungdown。Thenagainthecryof’lost!lost!’-thenagainthesoundofmoney，andsoon。Onceortwice，butnotmore，Iheard’Won!won!’butthepredominantcrywas’Lost!lost!’Atlasttherewasaconsiderablehubbub，andthewords’Cheat!’’Rogue!’
and’Youfilchedawaythepea!’wereusedfreelybymorevoicesthanone，towhichthevoicewiththetendencytolispreplied，’Neverfilchedapeainmylife；wouldscornit。Alwaysgladwhenfolkswins；but，asthoseheredon’tappeartobecivil，nottowishtoplayanymore，Ishalltakemyselfoffwithmytable；so，good-day，gentlemen。’