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it was a mere snowball； similarly； the men and boys who ran along
beside us to the town's end； turning our clogged wheels and
encouraging our horses； were men and boys of snow； and the bleak
wild solitude to which they at last dismissed us was a snowy Sahara。
One would have thought this enough： notwithstanding which； I pledge
my word that it snowed and snowed； and still it snowed； and never
left off snowing。
We performed Auld Lang Syne the whole day； seeing nothing； out of
towns and villages； but the track of stoats； hares； and foxes； and
sometimes of birds。 At nine o'clock at night； on a Yorkshire moor；
a cheerful burst from our horn； and a welcome sound of talking； with
a glimmering and moving about of lanterns； roused me from my drowsy
state。 I found that we were going to change。
They helped me out； and I said to a waiter； whose bare head became
as white as King Lear's in a single minute； 〃What Inn is this？〃
〃The Holly…Tree； sir；〃 said he。
〃Upon my word； I believe；〃 said I； apologetically； to the guard and
coachman； 〃that I must stop here。〃
Now the landlord； and the landlady； and the ostler； and the post…
boy； and all the stable authorities； had already asked the coachman；
to the wide…eyed interest of all the rest of the establishment； if
he meant to go on。 The coachman had already replied； 〃Yes； he'd
take her through it；〃meaning by Her the coach；〃if so be as
George would stand by him。〃 George was the guard； and he had
already sworn that he would stand by him。 So the helpers were
already getting the horses out。
My declaring myself beaten； after this parley； was not an
announcement without preparation。 Indeed； but for the way to the
announcement being smoothed by the parley； I more than doubt
whether； as an innately bashful man； I should have had the
confidence to make it。 As it was； it received the approval even of
the guard and coachman。 Therefore； with many confirmations of my
inclining； and many remarks from one bystander to another； that the
gentleman could go for'ard by the mail to…morrow； whereas to…night
he would only be froze； and where was the good of a gentleman being
frozeah； let alone buried alive （which latter clause was added by
a humorous helper as a joke at my expense； and was extremely well
received）； I saw my portmanteau got out stiff； like a frozen body；
did the handsome thing by the guard and coachman； wished them good…
night and a prosperous journey； and； a little ashamed of myself；
after all； for leaving them to fight it out alone； followed the
landlord； landlady； and waiter of the Holly…Tree up…stairs。
I thought I had never seen such a large room as that into which they
showed me。 It had five windows； with dark red curtains that would
have absorbed the light of a general illumination； and there were
complications of drapery at the top of the curtains； that went
wandering about the wall in a most extraordinary manner。 I asked
for a smaller room； and they told me there was no smaller room。
They could screen me in； however； the landlord said。 They brought a
great old japanned screen； with natives （Japanese； I suppose）
engaged in a variety of idiotic pursuits all over it； and left me
roasting whole before an immense fire。
My bedroom was some quarter of a mile off； up a great staircase at
the end of a long gallery； and nobody knows what a misery this is to
a bashful man who would rather not meet people on the stairs。 It
was the grimmest room I have ever had the nightmare in； and all the
furniture； from the four posts of the bed to the two old silver
candle…sticks； was tall； high…shouldered； and spindle…waisted。
Below； in my sitting…room； if I looked round my screen； the wind
rushed at me like a mad bull； if I stuck to my arm…chair； the fire
scorched me to the colour of a new brick。 The chimney…piece was
very high； and there was a bad glasswhat I may call a wavy glass
above it； which； when I stood up； just showed me my anterior
phrenological developments；and these never look well； in any
subject； cut short off at the eyebrow。 If I stood with my back to
the fire； a gloomy vault of darkness above and beyond the screen
insisted on being looked at； and； in its dim remoteness； the drapery
of the ten curtains of the five windows went twisting and creeping
about； like a nest of gigantic worms。
I suppose that what I observe in myself must be observed by some
other men of similar character in themselves； therefore I am
emboldened to mention； that； when I travel； I never arrive at a
place but I immediately want to go away from it。 Before I had
finished my supper of broiled fowl and mulled port； I had impressed
upon the waiter in detail my arrangements for departure in the
morning。 Breakfast and bill at eight。 Fly at nine。 Two horses；
or； if needful； even four。
Tired though I was； the night appeared about a week long。 In cases
of nightmare； I thought of Angela； and felt more depressed than ever
by the reflection that I was on the shortest road to Gretna Green。
What had I to do with Gretna Green？ I was not going that way to the
Devil； but by the American route； I remarked in my bitterness。
In the morning I found that it was snowing still； that it had snowed
all night； and that I was snowed up。 Nothing could get out of that
spot on the moor； or could come at it； until the road had been cut
out by labourers from the market…town。 When they might cut their
way to the Holly…Tree nobody could tell me。
It was now Christmas…eve。 I should have had a dismal Christmas…time
of it anywhere； and consequently that did not so much matter； still；
being snowed up was like dying of frost； a thing I had not bargained
for。 I felt very lonely。 Yet I could no more have proposed to the
landlord and landlady to admit me to their society （though I should
have liked itvery much） than I could have asked them to present me
with a piece of plate。 Here my great secret； the real bashfulness
of my character； is to be observed。 Like most bashful men； I judge
of other people as if they were bashful too。 Besides being far too
shamefaced to make the proposal myself； I really had a delicate
misgiving that it would be in the last degree disconcerting to them。
Trying to settle down； therefore； in my solitude； I first of all
asked what books there were in the house。 The waiter brought me a
Book of Roads； two or three old Newspapers； a little Song…Book；
terminating in a collection of Toasts and Sentiments； a little Jest…
Book； an odd volume of Peregrine Pickle； and the Sentimental
Journey。 I knew every word of the two last already； but I read them
through again； then tried to hum all the songs （Auld Lang Syne was
among them）； went entirely through the jokes；in which I found a
fund of melancholy adapted to my state of mind； proposed all the
toasts； enunciated all the sentiments； and mastered the papers。 The
latter had nothing in them but stock advertisements； a meeting about
a county rate； and a highway robbery。 As I am a greedy reader； I
could not make this supply hold out until night； it was exhausted by
tea…time。 Being then entirely cast upon my own resources； I got
through an hour in considering what to do next。 Ultimately； it came
into my head （from which I was anxious by any means to exclude
Angela and Edwin）； that I would endeavour to recall my experience of
Inns； and would try how long it lasted me。 I stirred the fire；
moved my chair a little to one side of the screen；not daring to go
far； for I knew the wind was waiting to make a rush at me； I could
hear it growling；and began。
My first impressions of an Inn dated from the Nursery； consequently
I went back to the Nursery for a starting…point； and found myself at
the knee of a sallow woman with a fishy eye； an aquiline nose； and a
green gown； whose specially was a dismal narrative of a landlord by
the roadside； whose visitors unaccountably disappeared for many
years； until it was discovered that the pursuit of his life had been
to convert them into pies。 For the better devotion of himself to
this branch of industry； he had constructed a secret door behind the
head of the bed； and when the visitor （oppressed with pie） had
fallen asleep； this wicked landlord would look softly in with a lamp
in one hand and a knife in the other； would cut his throat； and
would make him into pies； for which purpose he had coppers；
underneath a trap…door； always boiling； and rolled out his pastry in
the dead of the night。 Yet even he was not insensible to the stings
of conscience； for he never went to sleep without being heard to
mutter； 〃Too much pepper！〃 which was eventually the cause of his
being brought to justice。 I had no sooner disposed of this criminal
than there started up another of the same period； whose profession
was originally house…breaking； in the pursuit of which art he had
had his right ear chopped off one night； a