AND Mr. WINKLE TO RIDE, ANDHOW THEY BOTH DID ITright and pleasant was the s

ture, and waiting for breakfast. Thescene was indeed one which might well h

ing away, but telling us proudly of itsold might and strength, as when, seven hundred years ago, it rangwith the clash of arms, or resounded with the noise of feasting andrevelry. On either side, the banks of the Medway, covered withcornfields and pastures, with here and there a windmill, or adistant church, stretched away as far as the eye could see,presenting a rich and varied landscape, render

ad been led by the objects before him, by a deep sigh, and atouch o

scene?' inquired th

Mr. P

ting yourself on

kwick nod

lendour, for his brightness seldom lasts the day through. The

ruly, sir,' sa

t." How well might it be applied to oureveryday existence. God! what would I forfei

rouble, sir,' said Mr.

ould believe possible.' He paused for an instant,and then said abruptly―'Did it eve

mthe balustrade, as the possibility of the dismal man's tipping

ere is an eddy for an instant, it gradually subsides into a gentleripple; the waters have closed above your head, and the world hasclosed upon your miseries and misfortunes for ever.' The sunken

er, the night before last, andlis

Mr. Pickwick; 'and

andinstruction. Suppose I forward you a curious manuscript―observe, not curious because wild or improbable, but curio

k, 'if you wished it; and it would

their probable route, thedismal man carefully noted it down in a greasy pocket-book, and,resisting M

s readylaid in tempting display. They sat down to the meal; and broiledham, eggs, tea, coffee and sundries, began to

arm,' said Mr. Pickwi

r, perhaps,' said Mr. Tupman;and t

―fifteen miles, gentlemen―

hold more than two,

ise,sir―seat for two behind―one in front for the gentleman

e done?' said

he gentlemen would

le; 'very goodsaddle-horses, sir―any of Mr. Ward

Mr. Pickwick. 'Winkle,

; but, as he would not have them even suspected, on anyaccount, he at once replied with great hardihood, 'Certainly. Ishould enjoy

sir,' replie

ersascended to their respective bedrooms, to prepare a change

e passengers in the street,when the waiter entered, and announced that the chaise wasready―an announce

rch for one infront, drawn by an immense brown horse, displaying greatsymmetry of bone. An hostler stood near, holding

pon thepavement while the coats were being put in. 'B

f course,' sa

e,' said Mr

laimed Mr.

posed the hostler. 'Warrant himquiet,

does he?' inqui

e was to meet a vaggin-load ofmon

ss got into the bin; Mr. Pickwick ascended to hisperch, and deposited

givethe gen'lm'n the ribbons.' 'Shiny Villiam'―so called, probabl

and the upper hostler th

quadruped evinced adecided inclination t

said the head hostler encouragingly; 'jistkitch hold on him, Villiam.' The deputy rest

ide, sir, if

lm'n worn't a-gettin'

post-boy to the inexpre

, with aboutas much difficulty as he would have experi

ickwick, with an inward prese

replied Mr. W

and the saddle-horse, with Mr. Pickwick on thebox of the one, and Mr. Winkle o

' said Mr. Snodgrass in the bi

upthe street in the most mysterious manner―side first, with his

ystander, but by nomeans equally amusing to any one seated behind him. Besidesconstantly jerking his head up, in a very unpleasant anduncomfortable manner, and tugging at the reins to an extentwhich rendered it a matter of great difficulty

Snodgrass, when thehorse had executed

ike shying,don't it?' Mr. Snodgrass was about to reply

gentleman; 'I hav

ke to pieces, with the violence of theexercise, 'pick up the whip, there's a good fellow.' Mr. Winklepulled at the bridle of the tall horse till he was

he couldperform the journey as much to his own satisfaction without arider as with one, are points upon which, of course, we can arriveat no definite and distinct conclusion. By w

and,notwithstanding all kinds of coaxing and wheedling, there wereMr. Winkle and the horse going round and round each other forten minutes, at the end of which time each was at precisely t

the dodging hadbeen prolonged for a considera

him till we come to a

k from th

' roared Mr. Winkle.

ingdescended from his seat, carefully drew the chaise into the hedge,lest anything should come along the road, a

her quicker rate than fast walking, in the direction from whichthey had just come. Mr. Pickwick ran to his assistance, but thefaster Mr. Pickwick ran forward, the faster the horse ranbackward. There was a great scraping of feet, and kicking up ofthe dust; and at last Mr. Winkle, his arms being nearly pulled

e agonised Mr. Pickwick; 'there

d Mr. Tupman andMr. Snodgrass in the four-wheeled chaise. The heat was a shortone. Mr. Tupman threw himself into the hedge, Mr. Snodgrassfollowed his example, the horse dashe

ion of discovering thatthey had sustained no injury, beyond sundry rents in theirgarments, and various lacerations from the brambles. The nextthing to be done was to

front; one or two deformed hay-ricks behind, a kitchen gardenat the side, and rotten sheds and mouldering outhouses jumbled ins

d his eyes with hishand, and stared, long a

e!' repeated

the red-heade

is it to Di

r er sev

t a goo

lysatisfied himself with another scrutiny, the red-headed manr

I suppose we

up, do ee?' repeated the red-h

k, who had by this timeadvanced, h

head, emerging from thegarden, and lo

n a coarse,blue pelisse, with the waist an inch

horse up here, my g

and speaking in his

e whole party; and the red-headed

, after a little consider

Mr. Pickwick, 'what'

id the woman, turning into thehouse; '

ave ever met with in my life,'

his friendsgathered round him, 'that they think w

r. Pickwick, in a sto

tly repeated h

the angry Mr. Pickwick,' do

man, with a grin whichagitated his counten

d into the house and ba

' ejaculated Mr. Pick

rid of!' The depressed Pickwickians turnedmoodily away, with the tall quadruped, fo

e absurdity of their situation. Torn clothes,lacerated faces, dusty shoes, exhausted looks, and, above all, thehorse. Oh, how Mr. Pickwick cursed that horse: he had eyed thenoble animal from time to time with looks expressive of hatredand revenge; more than once he had calculated the probableamount of the expense he wou

itable old gentleman;'I've been waiting for

ve been spilt, eh? Never mind. Common accident inthese parts. Joe―he's aslee

tleman, condoling with his guests in homely phraseon so much of the day's a

roduce you to the people in the parlour. Emma, bringout the cherry brandy; now, J

ed males rose from their seats in the chimney-corner(for although it was a May evening their attachment to the woodfire appeared as cordial as

ne of the mensuddenly seizing Mr. Pickwick by the leg, at imminent hazard ofthrowing him off his balance, brushed away at his boot till hiscorns were red-hot; while the othe

he fire, sipping hischerry brandy with heartfelt satisfaction. He describes it as a largeapartment, with a r

, intimating that it was 'Loaded'―as it hadbeen, on the same authority, for half a century at least. An oldeight-day clock, of solemn and sedat

quiringly, when his guestshad been w

replied M

oined by Mr. Tupman, who had lingeredbehind to snatch a kiss from Emma, for which he h

rowing it open andstepping forward to annou