the uncommercial traveller- 第63部分

stage…coaches　she　said　used　to　change　horses　in　the　town　every　day。

But　it　was　of　little　moment；　any　high　number　would　do　as　well　as

another。　　It　had　been　a　great　stage…coaching　town　in　the　great

stage…coaching　times；　and　the　ruthless　railways　had　killed　and

buried　it。



The　sign　of　the　house　was　the　Dolphin's　Head。　　Why　only　head；　I

don't　know；　for　the　Dolphin's　effigy　at　full　length；　and　upside

down　…　as　a　Dolphin　is　always　bound　to　be　when　artistically

treated；　though　I　suppose　he　is　sometimes　right　side　upward　in　his

natural　condition　…　graced　the　sign…board。　　The　sign…board　chafed

its　rusty　hooks　outside　the　bow…window　of　my　room；　and　was　a　shabby

work。　　No　visitor　could　have　denied　that　the　Dolphin　was　dying　by

inches；　but　he　showed　no　bright　colours。　　He　had　once　served

another　master；　there　was　a　newer　streak　of　paint　below　him；

displaying　with　inconsistent　freshness　the　legend；　By　J。　MELLOWS。



My　door　opened　again；　and　J。　Mellows's　representative　came　back。　　I

had　asked　her　what　I　could　have　for　dinner；　and　she　now　returned

with　the　counter　question；　what　would　I　like？　　As　the　Dolphin　stood

possessed　of　nothing　that　I　do　like；　I　was　fain　to　yield　to　the

suggestion　of　a　duck；　which　I　don't　like。　　J。　Mellows's

representative　was　a　mournful　young　woman　with　eye　susceptible　of

guidance；　and　one　uncontrollable　eye；　which　latter；　seeming　to

wander　in　quest　of　stage…coaches；　deepened　the　melancholy　in　which

the　Dolphin　was　steeped。



This　young　woman　had　but　shut　the　door　on　retiring　again　when　I

bethought　me　of　adding　to　my　order；　the　words；　'with　nice

vegetables。'　　Looking　out　at　the　door　to　give　them　emphatic

utterance；　I　found　her　already　in　a　state　of　pensive　catalepsy　in

the　deserted　gallery；　picking　her　teeth　with　a　pin。



At　the　Railway　Station　seven　miles　off；　I　had　been　the　subject　of

wonder　when　I　ordered　a　fly　in　which　to　come　here。　　And　when　I　gave

the　direction　'To　the　Dolphin's　Head；'　I　had　observed　an　ominous

stare　on　the　countenance　of　the　strong　young　man　in　velveteen；　who

was　the　platform　servant　of　the　Company。　　He　had　also　called　to　my

driver　at　parting；　'All　ri…ight！　　Don't　hang　yourself　when　you　get

there；　Geo…o…rge！'　in　a　sarcastic　tone；　for　which　I　had　entertained

some　transitory　thoughts　of　reporting　him　to　the　General　Manager。



I　had　no　business　in　the　town　…　I　never　have　any　business　in　any

town　…　but　I　had　been　caught　by　the　fancy　that　I　would　come　and

look　at　it　in　its　degeneracy。　　My　purpose　was　fitly　inaugurated　by

the　Dolphin's　Head；　which　everywhere　expressed　past　coachfulness

and　present　coachlessness。　　Coloured　prints　of　coaches；　starting；

arriving；　changing　horses；　coaches　in　the　sunshine；　coaches　in　the

snow；　coaches　in　the　wind；　coaches　in　the　mist　and　rain；　coaches　on

the　King's　birthday；　coaches　in　all　circumstances　compatible　with

their　triumph　and　victory；　but　never　in　the　act　of　breaking　down　or

overturning；　pervaded　the　house。　　Of　these　works　of　art；　some；

framed　and　not　glazed；　had　holes　in　them；　the　varnish　of　others　had

become　so　brown　and　cracked；　that　they　looked　like　overdone　pie…

crust；　the　designs　of　others　were　almost　obliterated　by　the　flies

of　many　summers。　　Broken　glasses；　damaged　frames；　lop…sided

hanging；　and　consignment　of　incurable　cripples　to　places　of　refuge

in　dark　corners；　attested　the　desolation　of　the　rest。　　The　old　room

on　the　ground　floor　where　the　passengers　of　the　Highflyer　used　to

dine；　had　nothing　in　it　but　a　wretched　show　of　twigs　and　flower…

pots　in　the　broad　window　to　hide　the　nakedness　of　the　land；　and　in

a　corner　little　Mellows's　perambulator；　with　even　its　parasol…head

turned　despondently　to　the　wall。　　The　other　room；　where　post…horse

company　used　to　wait　while　relays　were　getting　ready　down　the　yard；

still　held　its　ground；　but　was　as　airless　as　I　conceive　a　hearse　to

be：　　insomuch　that　Mr。　Pitt；　hanging　high　against　the　partition

（with　spots　on　him　like　port　wine；　though　it　is　mysterious　how　port

wine　ever　got　squirted　up　there）；　had　good　reason　for　perking　his

nose　and　sniffing。　　The　stopperless　cruets　on　the　spindle…shanked

sideboard　were　in　a　miserably　dejected　state：　　the　anchovy　sauce

having　turned　blue　some　years　ago；　and　the　cayenne　pepper　（with　a

scoop　in　it　like　a　small　model　of　a　wooden　leg）　having　turned

solid。　　The　old　fraudulent　candles　which　were　always　being　paid　for

and　never　used；　were　burnt　out　at　last；　but　their　tall　stilts　of

candlesticks　still　lingered；　and　still　outraged　the　human　intellect

by　pretending　to　be　silver。　　The　mouldy　old　unreformed　Borough

Member；　with　his　right　hand　buttoned　up　in　the　breast　of　his　coat；

and　his　back　characteristically　turned　on　bales　of　petitions　from

his　constituents；　was　there　too；　and　the　poker　which　never　had　been

among　the　fire…irons；　lest　post…horse　company　should　overstir　the

fire；　was　NOT　there；　as　of　old。



Pursuing　my　researches　in　the　Dolphin's　Head；　I　found　it　sorely

shrunken。　　When　J。　Mellows　came　into　possession；　he　had　walled　off

half　the　bar；　which　was　now　a　tobacco…shop　with　its　own　entrance　in

the　yard　…　the　once　glorious　yard　where　the　postboys；　whip　in　hand

and　always　buttoning　their　waistcoats　at　the　last　moment；　used　to

come　running　forth　to　mount　and　away。　　A　'Scientific　Shoeing　…

Smith　and　Veterinary　Surgeon；'　had　further　encroached　upon　the

yard；　and　a　grimly　satirical　jobber；　who　announced　himself　as

having　to　Let　'A　neat　one…horse　fly；　and　a　one…horse　cart；'　had

established　his　business；　himself；　and　his　family；　in　a　part　of　the

extensive　stables。　　Another　part　was　lopped　clean　off　from　the

Dolphin's　Head；　and　now　comprised　a　chapel；　a　wheelwright's；　and　a

Young　Men's　Mutual　Improvement　and　Discussion　Society　（in　a　loft）：

the　whole　forming　a　back　lane。　　No　audacious　hand　had　plucked　down

the　vane　from　the　central　cupola　of　the　stables；　but　it　had　grown

rusty　and　stuck　at　N…Nil：　　while　the　score　or　two　of　pigeons　that

remained　true　to　their　ancestral　traditions　and　the　place；　had

collected　in　a　row　on　the　roof…ridge　of　the　only　outhouse　retained

by　the　Dolphin；　where　all　the　inside　pigeons　tried　to　push　the

outside　pigeon　off。　　This　I　accepted　as　emblematical　of　the

struggle　for　post　and　place　in　railway　times。



Sauntering　forth　into　the　town；　by　way　of　the　covered　and　pillared

entrance　to　the　Dolphin's　Yard；　once　redolent　of　soup　and　stable…

litter；　now　redolent　of　musty　disuse；　I　paced　the　street。　　It　was　a

hot　day；　and　the　little　sun…blinds　of　the　shops　were　all　drawn

down；　and　the　more　enterprising　tradesmen　had　caused　their

'Prentices　to　trickle　water　on　the　pavement　appertaining　to　their

frontage。　　It　looked　as　if　they　had　been　shedding　tears　for　the

stage…coaches；　and　drying　their　ineffectual　pocket…handkerchiefs。

Such　weakness　would　have　been　excusable；　for　business　was　…　as　one

dejected　porkman　who　kept　a　shop　which　refused　to　reciprocate　the

compliment　by　keeping　him；　informed　me　…　'bitter　bad。'　　Most　of　the

harness…makers　and　corn…dealers　were　gone　the　way　of　the　coaches；

but　it　was　a　pleasant　recognition　of　the　eternal　procession　of

Children　down　that　old　original　steep　Incline；　the　Valley　of　the

Shadow；　that　those　tradesmen　were　mostly　succeeded　by　vendors　of

sweetmeats　and　cheap　toys。　　The　opposition　house　to　the　Dolphin；

once　famous　as　the　New　White　Hart；　had　long　collapsed。　　In　a　fit　of

abject　depression；　it　had　cast　whitewash　on　its　windows；　and

boarded　up　its　front　door；　and　reduced　itself　to　a　side　entrance；

but　even　that　had　proved　a　world　too　wide　for　the　Literary

Institution　which　had　been　its　last　phase；　for　the　Institution　had

collapsed　too；　and　of　the　ambitious　letters　of　its　inscription　on

the　White　Hart's　front；　all　had　fallen　off　but　these：





L　　　　　　Y　　　INS　　　　T





…　suggestive　of　Lamentably　Insolvent。　　As　to　the　neighbouring

market…place；　it　seemed　to　have　wholly　relinquished　marketing；　to

the　dealer　in　crockery　whose　pots　and　pans　straggled　half　across

it；　and　to　the　Cheap　Jack　who　sat　with　folded　arms　on　the　shafts　of

his　cart；　superciliously　gazing　around；　his　velveteen　waistcoat；

evidently　harbouring　grave　doubts　whether　it　was　worth　his　while　to

stay　a　night　in　such　a　place。



The　church　bells　began　to　ring　as　I　left　this　spot；　but　they　by　no

means　improved　the　case；　for　they　said；　in　a　petulant　way；　and

speaking　with　some　difficulty　in　their　irritation；　WHAT'S…be…come…

of…THE…coach…ES！'　　Nor　would　they　（I　found　on　listening）　ever　vary

their　emphasis；　save　in　respect　of　growing　more　sharp　and　vexed；

but　invariably　went　on；　'WHAT'S…be…come…of…THE…coach…ES！'　…　always

beginning　the　inquiry　with　an　unpolite　abruptness。　　Perhaps　from

their　elevation　they　saw　the　railway；　and　it　aggravated　them。



Coming　upon　a　coachmaker's　workshop；　I　began　to　look　about　me　with

a　revived　spirit；　thinking　that　perchance　I　might　behold　there　some

remains　of　the　old　times　of　the　town's　greatness。　　There　was　only

one　man　at　work