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〃That's well！〃 said Barbox Brothers。 〃Again I must not forget
（having got so far） to ask a favour。 Will you shut your eyes？〃
Laughing playfully at the strange nature of the request； she did so。
〃Keep them shut；〃 said Barbox Brothers； going softly to the door； and
coming back。 〃You are on your honour； mind； not to open you eyes until
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I tell you that you may？〃
〃Yes！ On my honour。〃
〃Good。 May I take your lace…pillow from you for a minute？〃
Still laughing and wondering； she removed her hands from it； and he
put it aside。
〃Tell me。 Did you see the puffs of smoke and steam made by the
morning fast…train yesterday on road number seven from here？〃
〃Behind the elm…trees and the spire？〃
〃That's the road；〃 said Barbox Brothers； directing his eyes towards it。
〃Yes。 I watched them melt away。〃
〃Anything unusual in what they expressed？〃
〃No！〃 she answered merrily。
〃Not complimentary to me； for I was in that train。 I wentdon't open
your eyesto fetch you this； from the great ingenious town。 It is not half
so large as your lace…pillow； and lies easily and lightly in its place。 These
little keys are like the keys of a miniature piano； and you supply the air
required with your left hand。 May you pick out delightful music from it；
my dear！ For the presentyou can open your eyes nowgood…bye！〃
In his embarrassed way； he closed the door upon himself； and only saw；
in doing so； that she ecstatically took the present to her bosom and
caressed it。 The glimpse gladdened his heart； and yet saddened it； for so
might she； if her youth had flourished in its natural course； having taken to
her breast that day the slumbering music of her own child's voice。
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CHAPTER IIBARBOX
BROTHERS AND CO。
With good…will and earnest purpose； the gentleman for Nowhere began；
on the very next day； his researches at the heads of the seven roads。 The
results of his researches； as he and Phoebe afterwards set them down in
fair writing； hold their due places in this veracious chronicle。 But they
occupied a much longer time in the getting together than they ever will in
the perusal。 And this is probably the case with most reading matter；
except when it is of that highly beneficial kind （for Posterity） which is
〃thrown off in a few moments of leisure〃 by the superior poetic geniuses
who scorn to take prose pains。
It must be admitted； however； that Barbox by no means hurried
himself。 His heart being in his work of good…nature； he revelled in it。
There was the joy； too （it was a true joy to him）； of sometimes sitting by；
listening to Phoebe as she picked out more and more discourse from her
musical instrument； and as her natural taste and ear refined daily upon her
first discoveries。 Besides being a pleasure； this was an occupation； and
in the course of weeks it consumed hours。 It resulted that his dreaded
birthday was close upon him before he had troubled himself any more
about it。
The matter was made more pressing by the unforeseen circumstance
that the councils held （at which Mr。 Lamps； beaming most brilliantly； on a
few rare occasions assisted） respecting the road to be selected were； after
all； in nowise assisted by his investigations。 For； he had connected this
interest with this road； or that interest with the other； but could deduce no
reason from it for giving any road the preference。 Consequently； when
the last council was holden； that part of the business stood； in the end；
exactly where it had stood in the beginning。
〃But； sir；〃 remarked Phoebe； 〃we have only six roads after all。 Is the
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seventh road dumb？〃
〃The seventh road？ Oh！〃 said Barbox Brothers； rubbing his chin。
〃That is the road I took； you know； when I went to get your little present。
That is ITS story。 Phoebe。〃
〃Would you mind taking that road again； sir？〃 she asked with
hesitation。
〃Not in the least； it is a great high…road after all。〃
〃I should like you to take it；〃 returned Phoebe with a persuasive smile；
〃for the love of that little present which must ever be so dear to me。 I
should like you to take it； because that road can never be again like any
other road to me。 I should like you to take it； in remembrance of your
having done me so much good： of your having made me so much
happier！ If you leave me by the road you travelled when you went to do
me this great kindness；〃 sounding a faint chord as she spoke； 〃I shall feel；
lying here watching at my window； as if it must conduct you to a
prosperous end； and bring you back some day。〃
〃It shall be done； my dear； it shall be done。〃
So at last the gentleman for Nowhere took a ticket for Somewhere； and
his destination was the great ingenious town。
He had loitered so long about the Junction that it was the eighteenth of
December when he left it。 〃High time；〃 he reflected； as he seated himself
in the train； 〃that I started in earnest！ Only one clear day remains
between me and the day I am running away from。 I'll push onward for the
hill…country to…morrow。 I'll go to Wales。〃
It was with some pains that he placed before himself the undeniable
advantages to be gained in the way of novel occupation for his senses
from misty mountains； swollen streams； rain； cold； a wild seashore； and
rugged roads。 And yet he scarcely made them out as distinctly as he
could have wished。 Whether the poor girl； in spite of her new resource；
her music； would have any feeling of loneliness upon her nowjust at
firstthat she had not had before； whether she saw those very puffs of
steam and smoke that he saw； as he sat in the train thinking of her； whether
her face would have any pensive shadow on it as they died out of the
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distant view from her window； whether； in telling him he had done her so
much good； she had not unconsciously corrected his old moody
bemoaning of his station in life； by setting him thinking that a man might
be a great healer； if he would； and yet not be a great doctor； these and
other similar meditations got between him and his Welsh picture。 There
was within him； too； that dull sense of vacuity which follows separation
from an object of interest； and cessation of a pleasant pursuit； and this
sense； being quite new to him； made him restless。 Further； in losing
Mugby Junction； he had found himself again； and he was not the more
enamoured of himself for having lately passed his time in better company。
But surely here； not far ahead； must be the great ingenious town。 This
crashing and clashing that the train was undergoing； and this coupling on
to it of a multitude of new echoes； could mean nothing less than approach
to the great station。 It did mean nothing less。 After some stormy flashes
of town lightning； in the way of swift revelations of red brick blocks of
houses； high red brick chimney… shafts； vistas of red brick railway arches；
tongues of fire； blocks of smoke； valleys of canal； and hills if coal； there
came the thundering in at the journey's end。
Having seen his portmanteaus safely housed in the hotel he chose； and
having appointed his dinner hour； Barbox Brothers went out for a walk in
the busy streets。 And now it began to be suspected by him that Mugby
Junction was a Junction of many branches； invisible as well as visible； and
had joined him to an endless number of by…ways。 For； whereas he would；
but a little while ago； have walked thes