myself　the　last　of　the　party；　the　postilion　suddenly　stopped　short；
  and　looked　about　him。　　'Why　do　you　stop？'　said　I。　　'I　don't　wish　to
  offend　you；'　said　the　man；　'but　this　seems　to　be　a　strange　place
  you　are　leading　me　into；　I　hope　you　and　the　young　gentlewoman；　as
  you　call　her；　don't　mean　me　any　harm　…　you　seemed　in　a　great　hurry
  to　bring　me　here。'　　'We　wished　to　get　you　out　of　the　rain；'　said　I；
  'and　ourselves　too；　that　is；　if　we　can；　which　I　rather　doubt；　for
  the　canvas　of　a　tent　is　slight　shelter　in　such　a　rain；　but　what
  harm　should　we　wish　to　do　you？'　　'You　may　think　I　have　money；'　said
  the　man；　'and　I　have　some；　but　only　thirty　shillings；　and　for　a　sum
  like　that　it　would　be　hardly　worth　while　to　…　'　　'Would　it　not？'
  said　I；　'thirty　shillings；　after　all；　are　thirty　shillings；　and　for
  what　I　know；　half　a　dozen　throats　may　have　been　cut　in　this　place
  for　that　sum　at　the　rate　of　five　shillings　each；　moreover；　there
  are　the　horses；　which　would　serve　to　establish　this　young
  gentlewoman　and　myself　in　housekeeping；　provided　we　were　thinking
  of　such　a　thing。'　　'Then　I　suppose　I　have　fallen　into　pretty
  hands；'　said　the　man；　putting　himself　in　a　posture　of　defence；　'but
  I'll　show　no　craven　heart；　and　if　you　attempt　to　lay　hands　on　me；
  I'll　try　to　pay　you　in　your　own　coin。　　I'm　rather　lamed　in　the　leg；
  but　I　can　still　use　my　fists；　so　come　on；　both　of　you；　man　and
  woman；　if　woman　this　be；　though　she　looks　more　like　a　grenadier。'
  'Let　me　hear　no　more　of　this　nonsense；'　said　Belle；　'if　you　are
  afraid；　you　can　go　back　to　your　chaise　…　we　only　seek　to　do　you　a
  kindness。'
  'Why；　he　was　just　now　talking　of　cutting　throats；'　said　the　man。
  'You　brought　it　on　yourself；'　said　Belle；　'you　suspected　us；　and　he
  wished　to　pass　a　joke　upon　you；　he　would　not　hurt　a　hair　of　your
  head；　were　your　coach　laden　with　gold；　nor　would　I。'　　'Well；'　said
  the　man；　'I　was　wrong　…　here's　my　hand　to　both　of　you；'　shaking　us
  by　the　hands；　'I'll　go　with　you　where　you　please；　but　I　thought
  this　a　strange　lonesome　place；　though　I　ought　not　much　to　mind
  strange　lonesome　places；　having　been　in　plenty　of　such　when　I　was　a
  servant　in　Italy；　without　coming　to　any　harm　…　come；　let　us　move
  on；　for　'tis　a　shame　to　keep　you　two　in　the　rain。'
  So　we　descended　the　path　which　led　into　the　depths　of　the　dingle；
  at　the　bottom　I　conducted　the　postilion　to　my　tent；　which；　though
  the　rain　dripped　and　trickled　through　it；　afforded　some　shelter；
  there　I　bade　him　sit　down　on　the　log　of　wood；　whilst　I　placed
  myself　as　usual　on　my　stone。　　Belle　in　the　meantime　had　repaired　to
  her　own　place　of　abode。　　After　a　little　time；　I　produced　a　bottle
  of　the　cordial　of　which　I　have　previously　had　occasion　to　speak；
  and　made　my　guest　take　a　considerable　draught。　　I　then　offered　him
  some；　bread　and　cheese；　which　he　accepted　with　thanks。　　In　about　an
  hour　the　rain　had　much　abated：　　'What　do　you　now　propose　to　do？'
  said　I。　　'I　scarcely　know；'　said　the　man；　'I　suppose　I　must
  endeavour　to　put　on　the　wheel　with　your　help。'　　'How　far　are　you
  from　your　home？'　I　demanded。　　'Upwards　of　thirty　miles；'　said　the
  man；　'my　master　keeps　an　inn　on　the　great　north　road；　and　from
  thence　I　started　early　this　morning　with　a　family；　which　I　conveyed
  across　the　country　to　a　hall　at　some　distance　from　here。　　On　my
  return　I　was　beset　by　the　thunderstorm；　which　frightened　the
  horses；　who　dragged　the　chaise　off　the　road　to　the　field　above；　and
  overset　it　as　you　saw。　　I　had　proposed　to　pass　the　night　at　an　inn
  about　twelve　miles　from　here　on　my　way　back；　though　how　I　am　to　get
  there　to…night　I　scarcely　know；　even　if　we　can　put　on　the　wheel；
  for；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　am　shaken　by　my　fall；　and　the
  smoulder　and　smoke　of　that　fireball　have　rather　bewildered　my　head；
  I　am；　moreover；　not　much　acquainted　with　the　way。
  'The　best　thing　you　can　do；'　said　I；　'is　to　pass　the　night　here；　I
  will　presently　light　a　fire；　and　endeavour　to　make　you　comfortable
  …　in　the　morning　we　will　see　to　your　wheel。'　　'Well；'　said　the　man；
  'I　shall　be　glad　to　pass　the　night　here；　provided　I　do　not　intrude；
  but　I　must　see　to　the　horses。'　　Thereupon　I　conducted　the　man　to
  the　place　where　the　horses　were　tied。　　'The　trees　drip　very　much
  upon　them；'　said　the　man；　'and　it　will　not　do　for　them　to　remain
  here　all　night；　they　will　be　better　out　on　the　field　picking　the
  grass；　but　first　of　all　they　must　have　a　good　feed　of　corn。'
  Thereupon　he　went　to　his　chaise；　from　which　he　presently　brought
  two　small　bags；　partly　filled　with　corn　…　into　them　he　inserted　the
  mouths　of　the　horses；　tying　them　over　their　heads。　　'Here　we　will
  leave　them　for　a　time；'　said　the　man；　'when　I　think　they　have　had
  enough；　I　will　come　back；　tie　their　fore…legs；　and　let　them　pick
  about。'
  CHAPTER　XCVII
  Fire　of　charcoal　…　The　new…comer　…　No　wonder！　…　Not　a　blacksmith　…
  A　love　affair　…　Gretna　Green　…　A　cool　thousand　…　Family　estates　…
  Borough　interest　…　Grand　education　…　Let　us　hear　…　Already
  quarrelling　…　Honourable　parents　…　Most　heroically　…　Not　common
  people　…　Fresh　charcoal。
  IT　might　be　about　ten　o'clock　at　night。　　Belle；　the　postilion；　and
  myself；　sat　just　within　the　tent；　by　a　fire　of　charcoal　which　I　had
  kindled　in　the　chafing…pan。　　The　man　had　removed　the　harness　from
  his　horses；　and；　after　tethering　their　legs；　had　left　them　for　the
  night　in　the　field　above　to　regale　themselves　on　what　grass　they
  could　find。　　The　rain　had　long　since　entirely　ceased；　and　the　moon
  and　stars　shone　bright　in　the　firmament；　up　to　which；　putting　aside
  the　canvas；　I　occasionally　looked　from　the　depths　of　the　dingle。
  Large　drops　of　water；　however；　falling　now　and　then　upon　the　tent
  from　the　neighbouring　trees；　would　have　served；　could　we　have
  forgotten　it；　to　remind　us　of　the　recent　storm；　and　also　a　certain
  chilliness　in　the　atmosphere；　unusual　to　the　season；　proceeding
  from　the　moisture　with　which　the　ground　was　saturated；　yet　these
  circumstances　only　served　to　make　our　party　enjoy　the　charcoal　fire
  the　more。　　There　we　sat　bending　over　it：　　Belle；　with　her　long
  beautiful　hair　streaming　over　her　magnificent　shoulders；　the
  postilion　smoking　his　pipe；　in　his　shirt…sleeves　and　waistcoat；
  having　flung　aside　his　greatcoat；　which　had　sustained　a　thorough
  wetting；　and　I　without　my　wagoner's　slop；　of　which；　it　being　in　the
  same　plight；　I　had　also　divested　myself。
  The　new…comer　was　a　well…made　fellow　of　about　thirty；　with　an　open
  and　agreeable　countenance。　　I　found　him　very　well　informed　for　a
  man　in　his　station；　and　with　some　pretensions　to　humour。　　After　we
  had　discoursed　for　some　time　on　indifferent　subjects；　the
  postilion；　who　had　exhausted　his　pipe；　took　it　from　his　mouth；　and；
  knocking　out　the　ashes　upon　the　ground；　exclaimed；　'I　little
  thought；　when　I　got　up　in　the　morning；　that　I　should　spend　the
  night　in　such　agreeable　company；　and　after　such　a　fright。'
  'Well；'　said　I；　'I　am　glad　that　your　opinion　of　us　has　improved；　it
  is　not　long　since　you　seemed　to　hold　us　in　rather　a　suspicious
  light。'
  'And　no　wonder；'　said　the　man；　'seeing　the　place　you　were　taking　me
  to！　　I　was　not　a　little；　but　very　much　afraid　of　ye　both；　and　so　I
  continued　for　some　time；　though；　not　to　show　a　craven　heart；　I
  pretended　to　be　quite　satisfied；　but　I　see　I　was　altogether
  mistaken　about　ye。　　I　thought　you　vagrant　gypsy　folks　and　trampers；
  but　now　…　'
  'Vagrant　gypsy　folks　and　trampers；'　said　I；　'and　what　are　we　but
  people　of　that　stamp？'
  'Oh；'　said　the　postilion；　'if　you　wish　to　be　thought　such；　I　am　far
  too　civil　a　person　to　contradict　you；　especially　after　your
  kindness　to　me；　but　…　'
  'But！'　said　I；　'what　do　you　mean　by　but？　　I　would　have　you　to　know
  that　I　am　proud　of　being　a　travelling　blacksmith；　look　at　these
  donkey…shoes；　I　finished　them　this　day。'
  The　postilion　took　the　shoes　and　examined　them。　　'So　you　made　these
  shoes？'　he　cried　at　last。
  'To　be　sure　I　did；　do　you　doubt　it？'
  'Not　in　the　least；'　said　the　man。
  'Ah！　ah！'　said　I；　'I　thought　I　should　bring　you　back　to　your
  original　opinion。　　I　am；　then；　a　vagrant　gypsy　body；　a　tramper；　a
  wandering　blacksmith。'
  'Not　a　blacksmith；　whatever　else　you　may　be；'　said　the　postilion；
  laughing。
  'Then　how　do　you　account　for　my　making　those　shoes？'
  'By　your　not　being　a　blacksmith；'　said　the　postilion；　'no
  blacksmith　would　have　made　shoes　in　that　manner。　　Besides；　what　did
  you　mean　just　now　by　saying　you　had　finished　these　shoes　to…day？　　A
  real　blacksmith　would　have　flung　off　three　or　four　sets　of　donkey…
  shoes　in　one　morning；　but　you；　I　will　be　sworn；　have　been　hammering
  at　these　for　days；　and　they　do　you　credit　…　but　why？　…　because　you
  are　no　blacksmith；　no；　friend；　your　shoes　may　do　for　this　young
  gentlewoman's　animal；　but　I　shouldn't　like　to　have　my　horses　shod
  by