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a　pair　of　wings；　and　be　seen　skimming　about　in　every　direction；　I

shall　take　a　flight　to　Paris　（as　I　soar　round　the　world）　in　a　cheap

and　independent　manner。　　At　present；　my　reliance　is　on　the　South…

Eastern　Railway　Company；　in　whose　Express　Train　here　I　sit；　at

eight　of　the　clock　on　a　very　hot　morning；　under　the　very　hot　roof

of　the　Terminus　at　London　Bridge；　in　danger　of　being　'forced'　like

a　cucumber　or　a　melon；　or　a　pine…apple。　　And　talking　of　pine…

apples；　I　suppose　there　never　were　so　many　pine…apples　in　a　Train

as　there　appear　to　be　in　this　Train。



Whew！　　The　hot…house　air　is　faint　with　pine…apples。　　Every　French

citizen　or　citizeness　is　carrying　pine…apples　home。　　The　compact

little　Enchantress　in　the　corner　of　my　carriage　（French　actress；　to

whom　I　yielded　up　my　heart　under　the　auspices　of　that　brave　child；

'MEAT…CHELL；'　at　the　St。　James's　Theatre　the　night　before　last）　has

a　pine…apple　in　her　lap。　　Compact　Enchantress's　friend；　confidante；

mother；　mystery；　Heaven　knows　what；　has　two　pine…apples　in　her　lap；

and　a　bundle　of　them　under　the　seat。　　Tobacco…smoky　Frenchman　in

Algerine　wrapper；　with　peaked　hood　behind；　who　might　be　Abd…el…

Kader　dyed　rifle…green；　and　who　seems　to　be　dressed　entirely　in

dirt　and　braid；　carries　pine…apples　in　a　covered　basket。　　Tall；

grave；　melancholy　Frenchman；　with　black　Vandyke　beard；　and　hair

close…cropped；　with　expansive　chest　to　waistcoat；　and　compressive

waist　to　coat：　saturnine　as　to　his　pantaloons；　calm　as　to　his

feminine　boots；　precious　as　to　his　jewellery；　smooth　and　white　as

to　his　linen：　dark…eyed；　high…foreheaded；　hawk…nosed　…　got　up；　one

thinks；　like　Lucifer　or　Mephistopheles；　or　Zamiel；　transformed　into

a　highly　genteel　Parisian　…　has　the　green　end　of　a　pine…apple

sticking　out　of　his　neat　valise。



Whew！　　If　I　were　to　be　kept　here　long；　under　this　forcing…frame；　I

wonder　what　would　become　of　me　…　whether　I　should　be　forced　into　a

giant；　or　should　sprout　or　blow　into　some　other　phenomenon！

Compact　Enchantress　is　not　ruffled　by　the　heat　…　she　is　always

composed；　always　compact。　　O　look　at　her　little　ribbons；　frills；

and　edges；　at　her　shawl；　at　her　gloves；　at　her　hair；　at　her

bracelets；　at　her　bonnet；　at　everything　about　her！　　How　is　it

accomplished？　　What　does　she　do　to　be　so　neat？　　How　is　it　that

every　trifle　she　wears　belongs　to　her；　and　cannot　choose　but　be　a

part　of　her？　　And　even　Mystery；　look　at　HER！　　A　model。　　Mystery　is

not　young；　not　pretty；　though　still　of　an　average　candle…light

passability；　but　she　does　such　miracles　in　her　own　behalf；　that；

one　of　these　days；　when　she　dies；　they'll　be　amazed　to　find　an　old

woman　in　her　bed；　distantly　like　her。　　She　was　an　actress　once；　I

shouldn't　wonder；　and　had　a　Mystery　attendant　on　herself。　　Perhaps；

Compact　Enchantress　will　live　to　be　a　Mystery；　and　to　wait　with　a

shawl　at　the　side…scenes；　and　to　sit　opposite　to　Mademoiselle　in

railway　carriages；　and　smile　and　talk　subserviently；　as　Mystery

does　now。　　That's　hard　to　believe！



Two　Englishmen；　and　now　our　carriage　is　full。　　First　Englishman；　in

the　monied　interest　…　flushed；　highly　respectable　…　Stock　Exchange；

perhaps　…　City；　certainly。　　Faculties　of　second　Englishman　entirely

absorbed　in　hurry。　　Plunges　into　the　carriage；　blind。　　Calls　out　of

window　concerning　his　luggage；　deaf。　　Suffocates　himself　under

pillows　of　great…coats；　for　no　reason；　and　in　a　demented　manner。

Will　receive　no　assurance　from　any　porter　whatsoever。　　Is　stout　and

hot；　and　wipes　his　head；　and　makes　himself　hotter　by　breathing　so

hard。　　Is　totally　incredulous　respecting　assurance　of　Collected

Guard；　that　'there's　no　hurry。'　　No　hurry！　　And　a　flight　to　Paris

in　eleven　hours！



It　is　all　one　to　me　in　this　drowsy　corner；　hurry　or　no　hurry。

Until　Don　Diego　shall　send　home　my　wings；　my　flight　is　with　the

South…Eastern　Company。　　I　can　fly　with　the　South…Eastern；　more

lazily；　at　all　events；　than　in　the　upper　air。　　I　have　but　to　sit

here　thinking　as　idly　as　I　please；　and　be　whisked　away。　　I　am　not

accountable　to　anybody　for　the　idleness　of　my　thoughts　in　such　an

idle　summer　flight；　my　flight　is　provided　for　by　the　South…Eastern

and　is　no　business　of　mine。



The　bell！　　With　all　my　heart。　　It　does　not　require　me　to　do　so　much

as　even　to　flap　my　wings。　　Something　snorts　for　me；　something

shrieks　for　me；　something　proclaims　to　everything　else　that　it　had

better　keep　out　of　my　way；　…　and　away　I　go。



Ah！　　The　fresh　air　is　pleasant　after　the　forcing…frame；　though　it

does　blow　over　these　interminable　streets；　and　scatter　the　smoke　of

this　vast　wilderness　of　chimneys。　　Here　we　are　…　no；　I　mean　there

we　were；　for　it　has　darted　far　into　the　rear　…　in　Bermondsey　where

the　tanners　live。　　Flash！　　The　distant　shipping　in　the　Thames　is

gone。　　Whirr！　　The　little　streets　of　new　brick　and　red　tile；　with

here　and　there　a　flagstaff　growing　like　a　tall　weed　out　of　the

scarlet　beans；　and；　everywhere；　plenty　of　open　sewer　and　ditch　for

the　promotion　of　the　public　health；　have　been　fired　off　in　a

volley。　　Whizz！　　Dust…heaps；　market…gardens；　and　waste　grounds。

Rattle！　　New　Cross　Station。　　Shock！　　There　we　were　at　Croydon。

Bur…r…r…r！　　The　tunnel。



I　wonder　why　it　is　that　when　I　shut　my　eyes　in　a　tunnel　I　begin　to

feel　as　if　I　were　going　at　an　Express　pace　the　other　way。　　I　am

clearly　going　back　to　London　now。　　Compact　Enchantress　must　have

forgotten　something；　and　reversed　the　engine。　　No！　　After　long

darkness；　pale　fitful　streaks　of　light　appear。　　I　am　still　flying

on　for　Folkestone。　　The　streaks　grow　stronger　…　become　continuous　…

become　the　ghost　of　day　…　become　the　living　day　…　became　I　mean　…

the　tunnel　is　miles　and　miles　away；　and　here　I　fly　through

sunlight；　all　among　the　harvest　and　the　Kentish　hops。



There　is　a　dreamy　pleasure　in　this　flying。　　I　wonder　where　it　was；

and　when　it　was；　that　we　exploded；　blew　into　space　somehow；　a

Parliamentary　Train；　with　a　crowd　of　heads　and　faces　looking　at　us

out　of　cages；　and　some　hats　waving。　　Monied　Interest　says　it　was　at

Reigate　Station。　　Expounds　to　Mystery　how　Reigate　Station　is　so

many　miles　from　London；　which　Mystery　again　develops　to　Compact

Enchantress。　　There　might　be　neither　a　Reigate　nor　a　London　for　me；

as　I　fly　away　among　the　Kentish　hops　and　harvest。　　What　do　I　care？



Bang！　　We　have　let　another　Station　off；　and　fly　away　regardless。

Everything　is　flying。　　The　hop…gardens　turn　gracefully　towards　me；

presenting　regular　avenues　of　hops　in　rapid　flight；　then　whirl

away。　　So　do　the　pools　and　rushes；　haystacks；　sheep；　clover　in　full

bloom　delicious　to　the　sight　and　smell；　corn…sheaves；　cherry…

orchards；　apple…orchards；　reapers；　gleaners；　hedges；　gates；　fields

that　taper　off　into　little　angular　corners；　cottages；　gardens；　now

and　then　a　church。　　Bang；　bang！　　A　double…barrelled　Station！　　Now　a

wood；　now　a　bridge；　now　a　landscape；　now　a　cutting；　now　a　…　Bang！　a

single…barrelled　Station　…　there　was　a　cricket…match　somewhere　with

two　white　tents；　and　then　four　flying　cows；　then　turnips　…　now　the

wires　of　the　electric　telegraph　are　all　alive；　and　spin；　and　blurr

their　edges；　and　go　up　and　down；　and　make　the　intervals　between

each　other　most　irregular：　contracting　and　expanding　in　the

strangest　manner。　　Now　we　slacken。　　With　a　screwing；　and　a

grinding；　and　a　smell　of　water　thrown　on　ashes；　now　we　stop！



Demented　Traveller；　who　has　been　for　two　or　three　minutes　watchful；

clutches　his　great…coats；　plunges　at　the　door；　rattles　it；　cries

'Hi！'　eager　to　embark　on　board　of　impossible　packets；　far　inland。

Collected　Guard　appears。　　'Are　you　for　Tunbridge；　sir？'

'Tunbridge？　　No。　　Paris。'　　'Plenty　of　time；　sir。　　No　hurry。　　Five

minutes　here；　sir；　for　refreshment。'　　I　am　so　blest　（anticipating

Zamiel；　by　half　a　second）　as　to　procure　a　glass　of　water　for

Compact　Enchantress。



Who　would　suppose　we　had　been　flying　at　such　a　rate；　and　shall　take

wing　again　directly？　　Refreshment…room　full；　platform　full；　porter

with　watering…pot　deliberately　cooling　a　hot　wheel；　another　porter

with　equal　deliberation　helping　the　rest　of　the　wheels　bountifully

to　ice　cream。　　Monied　Interest　and　I　re…entering　the　carriage

first；　and　being　there　alone；　he　intimates　to　me　that　the　French

are　'no　go'　as　a　Nation。　　I　ask　why？　　He　says；　that　Reign　of　Terror

of　theirs　was　quite　enough。　　I　ventured　to　inquire　whether　he

remembers　anything　that　preceded　said　Reign　of　Terror？　　He　says　not

particularly。　　'Because；'　I　remark；　'the　harvest　that　is　reaped；

has　sometimes　been　sown。'　　Monied　Interest　repeats；　as　quite　enough

for　him；　that　the　French　are　revolutionary；　…　'and　always　at　it。'



Bell。　　Compact　Enchantress；　helped　in　by　Zamiel　（whom　the　stars

confound！）；　gives　us　her　charming　little　side…box　look；　and　smites

me　to　the　core。　　Mystery　eating　sponge…cake。　　Pine…apple　atmosphere

faintly　tinged　with　suspicions　of　sherry。　　Demented　Traveller　flits

past　the　carriage；　looking　for　it。　　Is　blind　with　agitation；　and

can't　see　it。　　Seems　singled　out　by　Destiny　to　be　the　only　unhappy

creature　in　the　flight；　who　has　any　cause　to　hurry　himself。　　Is

nearly　left　behind。　　Is　seized　by　Collected　Guard　after　the　Train

is　in　motion；　and　bundled　in。　　Still；　has　lingering　suspicions　that

there　must　be　a　boat　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　WILL　look　wildly　out

of　window　for　it。



Flight　resumed。　　Corn…sheaves；　hop…gardens；　reapers；　gleaners；

apple…orchards；　cherry…orchards；　Stations　single　and　double…

barrelled；　Ashford。　　Compact　Enchantress　（constantly　talking　to

Mystery；　in　an　exquisite　manner）　gives　a　little　scream；　a　sound

that　seems　to　come　from　high　up　in　her　precious　little　head；　from

behind　her　bright　little　eyebrows。　　'Great　Heaven；　my　pine…apple！

My　Angel！　　It　is　lost！'　　Mystery　is　desolated。　　A　search　made。　　It

is　not　lost。　　Zamiel　finds　it。　　I　curse　him　（flying）　in　the　Persian

manner。　　May　his　face　be　turned　upside　down；　and　jackasses　sit　upon

his　uncle's　grave！



Now　f