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

his　uncle's　grave！



Now　fresher　air；　now　glimpses　of　unenclosed　Down…land　with　flapping

crows　flying　over　it　whom　we　soon　outfly；　now　the　Sea；　now

Folkestone　at　a　quarter　after　ten。　　'Tickets　ready；　gentlemen！'

Demented　dashes　at　the　door。　　'For　Paris；　sir？　　No　hurry。'



Not　the　least。　　We　are　dropped　slowly　down　to　the　Port；　and　sidle

to　and　fro　（the　whole　Train）　before　the　insensible　Royal　George

Hotel；　for　some　ten　minutes。　　The　Royal　George　takes　no　more　heed

of　us　than　its　namesake　under　water　at　Spithead；　or　under　earth　at

Windsor；　does。　　The　Royal　George's　dog　lies　winking　and　blinking　at

us；　without　taking　the　trouble　to　sit　up；　and　the　Royal　George's

'wedding　party'　at　the　open　window　（who　seem；　I　must　say；　rather

tired　of　bliss）　don't　bestow　a　solitary　glance　upon　us；　flying　thus

to　Paris　in　eleven　hours。　　The　first　gentleman　in　Folkestone　is

evidently　used　up；　on　this　subject。



Meanwhile；　Demented　chafes。　　Conceives　that　every　man's　hand　is

against　him；　and　exerting　itself　to　prevent　his　getting　to　Paris。

Refuses　consolation。　　Rattles　door。　　Sees　smoke　on　the　horizon；　and

'knows'　it's　the　boat　gone　without　him。　　Monied　Interest

resentfully　explains　that　HE　is　going　to　Paris　too。　　Demented

signifies；　that　if　Monied　Interest　chooses　to　be　left　behind；　HE

don't。



'Refreshments　in　the　Waiting…Room；　ladies　and　gentlemen。　　No　hurry；

ladies　and　gentlemen；　for　Paris。　　No　hurry　whatever！'



Twenty　minutes'　pause；　by　Folkestone　clock；　for　looking　at

Enchantress　while　she　eats　a　sandwich；　and　at　Mystery　while　she

eats　of　everything　there　that　is　eatable；　from　pork…pie；　sausage；

jam；　and　gooseberries；　to　lumps　of　sugar。　　All　this　time；　there　is

a　very　waterfall　of　luggage；　with　a　spray　of　dust；　tumbling

slantwise　from　the　pier　into　the　steamboat。　　All　this　time；

Demented　（who　has　no　business　with　it）　watches　it　with　starting

eyes；　fiercely　requiring　to　be　shown　HIS　luggage。　　When　it　at　last

concludes　the　cataract；　he　rushes　hotly　to　refresh　…　is　shouted

after；　pursued；　jostled；　brought　back；　pitched　into　the　departing

steamer　upside　down；　and　caught　by　mariners　disgracefully。



A　lovely　harvest…day；　a　cloudless　sky；　a　tranquil　sea。　　The　piston…

rods　of　the　engines　so　regularly　coming　up　from　below；　to　look　（as

well　they　may）　at　the　bright　weather；　and　so　regularly　almost

knocking　their　iron　heads　against　the　cross　beam　of　the　skylight；

and　never　doing　it！　　Another　Parisian　actress　is　on　board；　attended

by　another　Mystery。　　Compact　Enchantress　greets　her　sister　artist　…

Oh；　the　Compact　One's　pretty　teeth！　…　and　Mystery　greets　Mystery。

My　Mystery　soon　ceases　to　be　conversational　…　is　taken　poorly；　in　a

word；　having　lunched　too　miscellaneously　…　and　goes　below。　　The

remaining　Mystery　then　smiles　upon　the　sister　artists　（who；　I　am

afraid；　wouldn't　greatly　mind　stabbing　each　other）；　and　is　upon　the

whole　ravished。



And　now　I　find　that　all　the　French　people　on　board　begin　to　grow；

and　all　the　English　people　to　shrink。　　The　French　are　nearing　home；

and　shaking　off　a　disadvantage；　whereas　we　are　shaking　it　on。

Zamiel　is　the　same　man；　and　Abd…el…Kader　is　the　same　man；　but　each

seems　to　come　into　possession　of　an　indescribable　confidence　that

departs　from　us　…　from　Monied　Interest；　for　instance；　and　from　me。

Just　what　they　gain；　we　lose。　　Certain　British　'Gents'　about　the

steersman；　intellectually　nurtured　at　home　on　parody　of　everything

and　truth　of　nothing；　become　subdued；　and　in　a　manner　forlorn；　and

when　the　steersman　tells　them　（not　exultingly）　how　he　has　'been

upon　this　station　now　eight　year；　and　never　see　the　old　town　of

Bullum　yet；'　one　of　them；　with　an　imbecile　reliance　on　a　reed；　asks

him　what　he　considers　to　be　the　best　hotel　in　Paris？



Now；　I　tread　upon　French　ground；　and　am　greeted　by　the　three

charming　words；　Liberty；　Equality；　Fraternity；　painted　up　（in

letters　a　little　too　thin　for　their　height）　on　the　Custom…house

wall　…　also　by　the　sight　of　large　cocked　hats；　without　which

demonstrative　head…gear　nothing　of　a　public　nature　can　be　done　upon

this　soil。　　All　the　rabid　Hotel　population　of　Boulogne　howl　and

shriek　outside　a　distant　barrier；　frantic　to　get　at　us。　　Demented；

by　some　unlucky　means　peculiar　to　himself；　is　delivered　over　to

their　fury；　and　is　presently　seen　struggling　in　a　whirlpool　of

Touters　…　is　somehow　understood　to　be　going　to　Paris　…　is；　with

infinite　noise；　rescued　by　two　cocked　hats；　and　brought　into

Custom…house　bondage　with　the　rest　of　us。



Here；　I　resign　the　active　duties　of　life　to　an　eager　being；　of

preternatural　sharpness；　with　a　shelving　forehead　and　a　shabby

snuff…coloured　coat；　who　（from　the　wharf）　brought　me　down　with　his

eye　before　the　boat　came　into　port。　　He　darts　upon　my　luggage；　on

the　floor　where　all　the　luggage　is　strewn　like　a　wreck　at　the

bottom　of　the　great　deep；　gets　it　proclaimed　and　weighed　as　the

property　of　'Monsieur　a　traveller　unknown；'　pays　certain　francs　for

it；　to　a　certain　functionary　behind　a　Pigeon　Hole；　like　a　pay…box

at　a　Theatre　（the　arrangements　in　general　are　on　a　wholesale　scale；

half　military　and　half　theatrical）；　and　I　suppose　I　shall　find　it

when　I　come　to　Paris　…　he　says　I　shall。　　I　know　nothing　about　it；

except　that　I　pay　him　his　small　fee；　and　pocket　the　ticket　he　gives

me；　and　sit　upon　a　counter；　involved　in　the　general　distraction。



Railway　station。　　'Lunch　or　dinner；　ladies　and　gentlemen。　　Plenty

of　time　for　Paris。　　Plenty　of　time！'　　Large　hall；　long　counter；

long　strips　of　dining…table；　bottles　of　wine；　plates　of　meat；　roast

chickens；　little　loaves　of　bread；　basins　of　soup；　little　caraffes

of　brandy；　cakes；　and　fruit。　　Comfortably　restored　from　these

resources；　I　begin　to　fly　again。



I　saw　Zamiel　（before　I　took　wing）　presented　to　Compact　Enchantress

and　Sister　Artist；　by　an　officer　in　uniform；　with　a　waist　like　a

wasp's；　and　pantaloons　like　two　balloons。　　They　all　got　into　the

next　carriage　together；　accompanied　by　the　two　Mysteries。　　They

laughed。　　I　am　alone　in　the　carriage　（for　I　don't　consider　Demented

anybody）　and　alone　in　the　world。



Fields；　windmills；　low　grounds；　pollard…trees；　windmills；　fields；

fortifications；　Abbeville；　soldiering　and　drumming。　　I　wonder　where

England　is；　and　when　I　was　there　last　…　about　two　years　ago；　I

should　say。　　Flying　in　and　out　among　these　trenches　and　batteries；

skimming　the　clattering　drawbridges；　looking　down　into　the　stagnant

ditches；　I　become　a　prisoner　of　state；　escaping。　　I　am　confined

with　a　comrade　in　a　fortress。　　Our　room　is　in　an　upper　story。　　We

have　tried　to　get　up　the　chimney；　but　there's　an　iron　grating

across　it；　imbedded　in　the　masonry。　　After　months　of　labour；　we

have　worked　the　grating　loose　with　the　poker；　and　can　lift　it　up。

We　have　also　made　a　hook；　and　twisted　our　rugs　and　blankets　into

ropes。　　Our　plan　is；　to　go　up　the　chimney；　hook　our　ropes　to　the

top；　descend　hand　over　hand　upon　the　roof　of　the　guard…house　far

below；　shake　the　hook　loose；　watch　the　opportunity　of　the　sentinels

pacing　away；　hook　again；　drop　into　the　ditch；　swim　across　it；　creep

into　the　shelter　of　the　wood。　　The　time　is　come　…　a　wild　and　stormy

night。　　We　are　up　the　chimney；　we　are　on　the　guard…house　roof；　we

are　swimming　in　the　murky　ditch；　when　lo！　　'Qui　v'la？'　a　bugle；　the

alarm；　a　crash！　　What　is　it？　　Death？　　No；　Amiens。



More　fortifications；　more　soldiering　and　drumming；　more　basins　of

soup；　more　little　loaves　of　bread；　more　bottles　of　wine；　more

caraffes　of　brandy；　more　time　for　refreshment。　　Everything　good；

and　everything　ready。　　Bright；　unsubstantial…looking；　scenic　sort

of　station。　　People　waiting。　　Houses；　uniforms；　beards；　moustaches；

some　sabots；　plenty　of　neat　women；　and　a　few　old…visaged　children。

Unless　it　be　a　delusion　born　of　my　giddy　flight；　the　grown…up

people　and　the　children　seem　to　change　places　in　France。　　In

general；　the　boys　and　girls　are　little　old　men　and　women；　and　the

men　and　women　lively　boys　and　girls。



Bugle；　shriek；　flight　resumed。　　Monied　Interest　has　come　into　my

carriage。　　Says　the　manner　of　refreshing　is　'not　bad；'　but

considers　it　French。　　Admits　great　dexterity　and　politeness　in　the

attendants。　　Thinks　a　decimal　currency　may　have　something　to　do

with　their　despatch　in　settling　accounts；　and　don't　know　but　what

it's　sensible　and　convenient。　　Adds；　however；　as　a　general　protest；

that　they're　a　revolutionary　people　…　and　always　at　it。



Ramparts；　canals；　cathedral；　river；　soldiering　and　drumming；　open

country；　river；　earthenware　manufactures；　Creil。　　Again　ten

minutes。　　Not　even　Demented　in　a　hurry。　　Station；　a　drawing…room

with　a　verandah：　like　a　planter's　house。　　Monied　Interest　considers

it　a　band…box；　and　not　made　to　last。　　Little　round　tables　in　it；　at

one　of　which　the　Sister　Artists　and　attendant　Mysteries　are

established　with　Wasp　and　Zamiel；　as　if　they　were　going　to　stay　a

week。



Anon；　with　no　more　trouble　than　before；　I　am　flying　again；　and

lazily　wondering　as　I　fly。　　What　has　the　South…Eastern　done　with

all　the　horrible　little　villages　we　used　to　pass　through；　in　the

DILIGENCE？　　What　have　they　done　with　all　the　summer　dust；　with　all

the　winter　mud；　with　all　the　dreary　avenues　of　little　trees；　with

all　the　ramshackle　postyards；　with　all　the　beggars　（who　used　to

turn　out　at　night　with　bits　of　lighted　candle；　to　look　in　at　the

coach　windows）；　with　all　the　long…tailed　horses　who　were　always

biting　one　another；　with　all　the　big　postilions　in　jack…boots　…

with　all　the　mouldy　cafes　that　we　used　to　stop　at；　where　a　long

mildewed　table…cloth；　set　forth　with　jovial　bottles　of　vinegar　and

oil；　and　with　a　Siamese　arrangement　of　pepper　and　salt；　was　never

wanting？　　Where　are　the　grass…grown　little　towns；　the　wonderful

little　market…places　all　unconscious　of　markets；　the　shops　that

nobody　kept；　the　streets　that　nobody　trod；　the　churches　that　n