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composition in print。
Ah； heaven！ what did I discover？ I discovered what other wretched
advertising people have found out before me。 Above my own advertisement；
the very thing I wanted was advertised for by somebody else！ Look in any
newspaper； and you will see strangers who （if I may so express myself）
exactly fit each other； advertising for each other； without knowing it。 I
had advertised myself as 〃accomplished musical companion for a lady。 With
cheerful temper to match。〃 And there above me was my unknown necessitous
fellow…creature； crying out in printers' types：〃Wanted； a companion for
a lady。 Must be an accomplished musician； and have a cheerful temper。
Testimonials to capacity； and first…rate references required。〃 Exactly
what I had offered！ 〃Apply by letter only； in the first instance。〃
Exactly what I had said！ Fie upon me； I had spent three and sixpence for
nothing。 I threw down the newspaper； in a transport of anger （like a
fool）and then took it up again （like a sensible woman）； and applied by
letter for the offered place。
My letter brought me into contact with a lawyer。 The lawyer enveloped
himself in mystery。 It seemed to be a professional habit with him to tell
nobody anything； if he could possibly help it。
Drop by drop； this wearisome man let the circumstances out。 The lady was
a young lady。 She was the daughter of a clergyman。 She lived in a retired
part of the country。 More even than that； she lived in a retired part of
the house。 Her father had married a second time。 Having only the young
lady as child by his first marriage； he had （I suppose by way of a
change） a large family by his second marriage。 Circumstances rendered it
necessary for the young lady to live as much apart as she could from the
tumult of a houseful of children。 So he went on； until there was no
keeping it in any longerand then he let it out。 The young lady was
blind！
Younglonelyblind。 I had a sudden inspiration。 I felt I should love
her。
The question of my musical capacity was； in this sad case； a serious one。
The poor young lady had one great pleasure to illumine her dark
lifeMusic。 Her companion was wanted to play from the book； and play
worthily； the works of the great masters （whom this young creature
adored）and she； listening； would take her place next at the piano； and
reproduce the music morsel by morsel； by ear。 A professor was appointed
to pronounce sentence on me； and declare if I could be trusted not to
misinterpret Mozart； Beethoven； and the other masters who have written
for the piano。 Through this ordeal I passed with success。 As for my
references； they spoke for themselves。 Not even the lawyer （though he
tried hard） could pick holes in them。 It was arranged on both sides that
I should； in the first instance； go on a month's visit to the young lady。
If we both wished it at the end of the time； I was to stay； on terms
arranged to my perfect satisfaction。 There was our treaty！
The next day I started for my visit by the railway。
My instructions directed me to travel to the town of Lewes in Sussex。
Arrived there； I was to ask for the pony…chaise of my young lady's
fatherdescribed on his card as Reverend Tertius Finch。 The chaise was
to take me to the rectory…house in the village of Dimchurch。 And the
village of Dimchurch was situated among the South Down Hills； three or
four miles from the coast。
When I stepped into the railway carriage； this was all I knew。 After my
adventurous lifeafter the volcanic agitations of my republican career
in the Doctor's timewas I about to bury myself in a remote English
village； and live a life as monotonous as the life of a sheep on a hill？
Ah； with all my experience； I had yet to learn that the narrowest human
limits are wide enough to contain the grandest human emotions。 I had seen
the Drama of Life amid the turmoil of tropical revolutions。 I was to see
it again； with all its palpitating interest； in the breezy solitudes of
the South Down Hills。
CHAPTER THE SECOND
Madame Pratolungo makes a Voyage on Land
A WELL…FED boy； with yellow Saxon hair； a little shabby green chaise； and
a rough brown ponythese objects confronted me at the Lewes Station。 I
said to the boy； 〃Are you Reverend Finch's servant？〃 And the boy
answered； 〃I be he。〃
We drove through the towna hilly town of desolate clean houses。 No
living creatures visible behind the jealously…shut windows。 No living
creatures entering or departing through the sad…colored closed doors。 No
theater； no place of amusement except an empty town…hall； with a sad
policeman meditating on its spruce white steps。 No customers in the
shops； and nobody to serve them behind the counter； even if they had
turned up。 Here and there on the pavements； an inhabitant with a capacity
for staring； and （apparently） a capacity for nothing else。 I said to
Reverend Finch's boy； 〃Is this a rich place？〃 Reverend Finch's boy
brightened and answered； 〃That it be！〃 Good。 At any rate； they don't
enjoy themselves herethe infamous rich！
Leaving this town of unamused citizens immured in domestic tombs； we got
on a fine high roadstill ascendingwith a spacious open country on
either side of it。
A spacious open country is a country soon exhausted by a sight…seer's
eye。 I have learnt from my poor Pratolungo the habit of searching for the
political convictions of my fellow…creatures； when I find myself in
contact with them in strange places。 Having nothing else to do； I
searched Finch's boy。 His political programme； I found to be：As much
meat and beer as I can contain； and as little work to do for it as
possible。 In return for this； to touch my hat when I meet the Squire； and
to be content with the station to which it has pleased God to call me。
Miserable Finch's boy！
We reached the highest point of the road。 On our right hand； the ground
sloped away gently into a fertile valleywith a village and a church in
it； and beyond； an abominable privileged enclosure of grass and trees
torn from the community by a tyrant； and called a Park； with the palace
in which this enemy of mankind caroused and fattened； standing in the
midst。 On our left hand； spread the open countrya magnificent prospect
of grand grassy hills； rolling away to the horizon； bounded only by the
sky。 To my surprise； Finch's boy descended； took the pony by the head；
and deliberately led him off the high road； and on to the wilderness of
grassy hills； on which not so much as a footpath was discernible
anywhere； far or near。 The chaise began to heave and roll like a ship on
the sea。 It became necessary to hold with both hands to keep my place。 I
thought first of my luggagethen of myself。
〃How much is there of this？〃 I asked。
〃Three mile on't；〃 answered Finch's boy。
I insisted on stopping the shipI mean the chaiseand on getting out。
We tied my luggage fast with a rope； and then we went on again； the boy
at the pony's head； and I after them on foot。
Ah； what a walk it was！ What air over my head； what grass under my feet！
The sweetness of the inner land； and the crisp saltness of the distant
sea； were mixed in that delicious breeze。 The short turf； fragrant with
odorous herbs； rose and fell elastic； underfoot。 The mountain…piles of
white cloud moved in sublime procession along the blue field of heaven；
overhead。 The wild growth of prickly bushes； spread in great patches over
the grass； was in a glory of yellow bloom。 On we went； now up； now down；
now bending to the right； and now turning to the left。 I looked about me。
No house； no road； no paths； fences； hedges； walls； no land…marks of any
sort。 All round us； turn which way we might； nothing was to be seen but
the majestic solitude of the hills。 No living creatures appeared but the
white dots of sheep scattered over the soft green distance； and the
skylark singing his hymn of happiness； a speck above my head。 Truly a
wonderful place！ Distant not more than a morning's drive from noisy and
populous Brightona stranger to this neighborhood could only have found
his way by the compass； exactly as if he had been sailing on the sea！ The
farther we penetrated on our land…voyage； the more wild and the more
beautiful the solitary landscape grew。 The boy picked his way as he
chosethere were no barriers here。 Plodding behind； I saw nothing； at
one time； but the back of the chaise； tilted up in the air； both boy and
pony being invisibly buried in the steep descent of the hill。 At other
times； the pitch was all the contrary way； the whole interior of the
ascending chaise was disclosed to my view； and above the chaise the pony；
and above the pony the boyand； ah； my luggage swaying and rocking in
the frail embraces of the rope that held it。 Twenty times did I
confidently expect to see baggage； chaise； pony； boy； all rolling down
into the bottom of a valley together。 But no！ Not the least little
accident happened to spoil my enjoyment of the day。 Politically
contemptible； Finch's boy had his merithe was master of his subject as
guide and pony…leader among the South Down Hills。
Arrived at the top of （as it seemed to me） our fiftieth grassy summit； I
began to look about for signs of the village。
Behind me； rolled back the long undulat