THE SEVEN POOR TRAVELLERS(七个可怜的旅行者)

THESEVENPOORTRAVELLERS1THESEVENPOORTRAVELLERSbyCharlesDickensTHESEVENPOORTRAVELLERS2CHAPTERI--INTHEOLDCITYOFROCHESTERStrictlyspeaking,therewereonlysixPoorTravellers;but,beingaTravellermyself,thoughanidleone,andbeingwithalaspoorasIhopetobe,Ibroughtthenumberuptoseven.Thiswordofexplanationisdueatonce,forwhatsaystheinscriptionoverthequaintolddoor?RICHARDWATTS,Esq.byhisWill,dated22Aug.1579,foundedthisCharityforSixpoorTravellers,whonotbeingROGUES,orPROCTORS,MayreceivegratisforoneNight,Lodging,Entertainment,andFourpenceeach.ItwasintheancientlittlecityofRochesterinKent,ofallthegooddaysintheyearuponaChristmas-eve,thatIstoodreadingthisinscriptionoverthequaintolddoorinquestion.IhadbeenwanderingabouttheneighbouringCathedral,andhadseenthetombofRichardWatts,withtheeffigyofworthyMasterRichardstartingoutofitlikeaship'sfigure-head;andIhadfeltthatIcoulddonoless,asIgavetheVergerhisfee,thaninquirethewaytoWatts'sCharity.Thewaybeingveryshortandveryplain,Ihadcomeprosperouslytotheinscriptionandthequaintolddoor.Now,saidItomyself,asIlookedattheknocker,IknowIamnotaProctor;IwonderwhetherIamaRogue!Uponthewhole,thoughConsciencereproducedtwoorthreeprettyfaceswhichmighthavehadsmallerattractionforamoralGoliaththantheyhadhadforme,whoambutaTomThumbinthatway,IcametotheconclusionthatIwasnotaRogue.So,beginningtoregardtheestablishmentasinsomesortmyproperty,bequeathedtomeanddiversco-legatees,shareandsharealike,bytheWorshipfulMasterRichardWatts,Isteppedbackwardintotheroadtosurveymyinheritance.Ifoundittobeacleanwhitehouse,ofastaidandvenerableair,withthequaintolddooralreadythreetimesmentioned(anarcheddoor),choicelittlelonglowlattice-windows,andaroofofthreegables.ThesilentHighStreetofRochesterisfullofgables,witholdbeamsandtimbersTHESEVENPOORTRAVELLERS3carvedintostrangefaces.Itisoddlygarnishedwithaqueeroldclockthatprojectsoverthepavementoutofagravered-brickbuilding,asifTimecarriedonbusinessthere,andhungouthissign.Soothtosay,hedidanactivestrokeofworkinRochester,intheolddaysoftheRomans,andtheSaxons,andtheNormans;anddowntothetimesofKingJohn,whentheruggedcastle--Iwillnotundertaketosayhowmanyhundredsofyearsoldthen--wasabandonedtothecenturiesofweatherwhichhavesodefacedthedarkaperturesinitswalls,thattheruinlooksasiftherooksanddawshadpeckeditseyesout.Iwasverywellpleased,bothwithmypropertyanditssituation.WhileIwasyetsurveyingitwithgrowingcontent,Iespied,atoneoftheupperlatticeswhichstoodopen,adecentbody,ofawholesomematronlyappearance,whoseeyesIcaughtinquiringlyaddressedtomine.Theysaidsoplainly,Doyouwishtoseethehouse?thatIansweredaloud,Yes,ifyouplease.Andwithinaminutetheolddooropened,andIbentmyhead,andwentdowntwostepsintotheentry.This,saidthematronlypresence,usheringmeintoalowroomontheright,iswheretheTravellerssitbythefire,andcookwhatbitsofsupperstheybuywiththeirfourpences.O!ThentheyhavenoEntertainment?saidI.Fortheinscriptionovertheouterdoorwasstillrunninginmyhead,andIwasmentallyrepeating,inakindoftune,Lodging,entertainment,andfourpenceeach.Theyhaveafireprovidedfor'em,returnedthematron--amightycivilperson,not,asIcouldmakeout,overpaid;andthesecookingutensils.Andthiswhat'spaintedonaboardistherulesfortheirbehaviour.Theyhavetheirfourpenceswhentheygettheirticketsfromthestewardovertheway,--forIdon'tadmit'emmyself,theymustgettheirticketsfirst,--andsometimesonebuysarasherofbacon,andanotheraherring,andanotherapoundofpotatoes,orwhatnot.Sometimestwoorthreeof'emwillclubtheirfourpencestogether,andmakeasupperthatway.Butnotmuchofanythingistobegotforfourpence,atpresent,whenprovisionsissodear.Trueindeed,Iremarked.Ihadbeenlookingabouttheroom,admiringitssnugfiresideattheupperend,itsglimpseofthestreetTHESEVENPOORTRAVELLERS4throughthelowmullionedwindow,anditsbeamsoverhead.Itisverycomfortable,saidI.Ill-conwenient,observedthematronlypresence.Ilikedtohearhersayso;foritshowedacommendableanxietytoexecuteinnoniggardlyspirittheintentionsofMasterRichardWatts.ButtheroomwasreallysowelladaptedtoitspurposethatIprotested,quiteenthusiastically,againstherdisparagement.Nay,ma'am,saidI,Iamsureitiswarminwinterandcoolinsummer.Ithasalookofhomelywelcomeandsoothingrest.Ithasaremarkablycoseyfireside,theveryblinkofwhich,gleamingoutintothestreetuponawinternight,isenoughtowarmallRochester'sheart.AndastotheconvenienceofthesixPoorTravellers--Idon'tmeanthem,returnedthepresence.Ispeakofitsbeinganill-conweniencetomyselfandmydaughter,havingnootherroomtositinofanight.Thiswastrueenough,buttherewasanotherquaintroomofcorrespondingdimensionsontheoppositesideoftheentry:soIsteppedacrosstoit,throughtheopendoorsofbothrooms,andaskedwhatthischamberwasfor.This,returnedthepresence,istheBoardRoom.Wherethegentlemenmeetwhentheycomehere.Letmesee.Ihadcountedfromthestreetsixupperwindowsbesidestheseontheground-story.Makingaperplexedcalculationinmymind,Irejoined,ThenthesixPoorTravellerssleepupstairs?Mynewfriendshookherhead.Theysleep,sheanswered,intwolittleoutergalleriesattheback,wheretheirbedshasalwaysbeen,eversincetheCharitywasfounded.Itbeingsoveryill-conwenienttomeasthingsisatpresent,thegentlemenaregoingtotakeoffabitoftheback-yard,a