第2章BOOKTHEFIRST：RECALLEDTOLIFE(2)

第2章bookthefirst：recalledtolife(2)

ii.themail

itwasthedoverroadthatlay，onafridaynightlateinnovember，beforethefirstofthepersonswithwhomthishistoryhasbusiness.thedoverroadlay，astohim，beyondthedovermail，asitlumberedupshooter'shill.hewalkeduphillinthemirebythesideofthemail，astherestofthepassengersdid；notbecausetheyhadtheleastrelishforwalkingexercise，underthecircumstances，butbecausethehill，andtheharness，andthemud，andthemail，wereallsoheavy，thatthehorseshadthreetimesalreadycometoastop，besidesoncedrawingthecoachacrosstheroad，withthemutinousintentoftakingitbacktoblackheath.reinsandwhipandcoachmanandguard，however，incombination，hadreadthatarticleofwarwhichforbadeapurposeotherwisestronglyinfavouroftheargument，thatsomebruteanimalsareenduedwithreason；andtheteamhadcapitulatedandreturnedtotheirduty.

withdroopingheadsandtremuloustails，theymashedtheirwaythroughthethickmud，flounderingandstumblingbetweenwhiles，asiftheywerefallingtopiecesatthelargerjoints.asoftenasthedriverrestedthemandbroughtthemtoastand，withawary'wo-ho！so-hothen！'thenearleaderviolentlyshookhisheadandeverythinguponit—likeanunusuallyemphatichorse，denyingthatthecoachcouldbegotupthehill.whenevertheleadermadethisrattle，thepassengerstarted，asanervouspassengermight，andwasdisturbedinmind.

therewasasteamingmistinallthehollows，andithadroamedinitsforlornnessupthehill，likeanevilspirit，seekingrestandfindingnone.aclammyandintenselycoldmist，itmadeitsslowwaythroughtheairinripplesthatvisiblyfollowedandoverspreadoneanother，asthewavesofanunwholesomeseamightdo.itwasdenseenoughtoshutouteverythingfromthelightofthecoach-lampsbuttheseitsownworkingsandafewyardsofroad；andthereekofthelabouringhorsessteamedintoit，asiftheyhadmadeitall.

twootherpassengers，besidestheone，wereploddingupthehillbythesideofthemail.allthreewerewrappedtothecheek-bonesandovertheears，andworejack-boots.notoneofthethreecouldhavesaid，fromanythinghesaw，whateitheroftheothertwowaslike；andeachwashiddenunderalmostasmanywrappersfromtheeyesofthemind，asfromtheeyesofthebody，ofhistwocompanions.inthosedays，travellerswereveryshyofbeingconfidentialonashortnotice，foranybodyontheroadmightbearobberorinleaguewithrobbers.astothelatter，wheneveryposting-houseandale-housecouldproducesomebodyin'thecaptain's'pay，rangingfromthelandlordtotheloweststablenonde，itwasthelikeliestthinguponthecards.sotheguardofthedovermailthoughttohimself，thatfridaynightinnovember，onethousandsevenhundredandseventy-five，lumberingupshooter'shill，ashestoodonhisownparticularperchbehindthemail，beatinghisfeet，andkeepinganeyeandahandonthearm-chestbeforehim，wherealoadedblunderbusslayatthetopofsixoreightloadedhorse-pistols，depositedonasubstratumofcutlass.

thedovermailwasinitsusualgenialpositionthattheguardsuspectedthepassengers，thepassengerssuspectedoneanotherandtheguard，theyallsuspectedeverybodyelse，andthecoachmanwassureofnothingbutthehorses；astowhichcattlehecouldwithaclearconsciencehavetakenhisoathonthetwotestamentsthattheywerenotfitforthejourney.

'wo-ho！'saidthecoachman.'so，then！onemorepullandyou'reatthetopandbedamnedtoyou，forihavehadtroubleenoughtogetyoutoit！—joe！'

'halloa！'theguardreplied.

'whato'clockdoyoumakeit，joe？'

'tenminutes，good，pasteleven.'

'myblood！'ejaculatedthevexedcoachman，'andnotatopofshooter'syet！tst！yah！getonwithyou！'

theemphatichorse，cutshortbythewhipinamostdecidednegative，madeadecidedscrambleforit，andthethreeotherhorsesfollowedsuit.oncemore，thedovermailledon，withthejack-bootsofitspassengerssquashingalongbyitsside.theyhadstoppedwhenthecoachstopped，andtheykeptclosecompanywithit.ifanyoneofthethreehadhadthehardihoodtoproposetoanothertowalkonalittleaheadintothemistanddarkness，hewouldhaveputhimselfinafairwayofgettingshotinstantlyasahighwayman.

thelastburstcarriedthemailtothesummitofthehill.thehorsesstoppedtobreatheagain，andtheguardgotdowntoskidthewheelforthedescent，andopenthecoach-doortoletthepassengersin.

'tst！joe！'criedthecoachmaninawarningvoice，lookingdownfromhisbox.

'whatdoyousay，tom？'

theybothlistened.

'isayahorseatacantercomingup，joe.'

'isayahorseatagallop，tom，'returnedtheguard，leavinghisholdofthedoor，andmountingnimblytohisplace.'gentlemen！intheking'sname，allofyou！'

withthishurriedadjuration，hecockedhisblunderbuss，andstoodontheoffensive.

thepassengerbookedbythishistory，wasonthecoachstep，gettingin；theothertwopassengerswereclosebehindhim，andabouttofollow.heremainedonthestep，halfinthecoachandhalfoutofit；theyremainedintheroadbelowhim.theyalllookedfromthecoachmantotheguard，andfromtheguardtothecoachman，andlistened.thecoachmanlookedbackandtheguardlookedback，andeventheemphaticleaderprickeduphisearsandlookedback，withoutcontradicting.

thestillnessconsequentonthecessationoftherumblingandlabouringofthecoach，addedtothestillnessofthenight，madeitveryquietindeed.thepantingofthehorsescommunicatedatremulousmotiontothecoach，asifitwereinastateofagitation.theheartsofthepassengersbeatloudenoughperhapstobeheard；butatanyrate，thequietpausewasaudiblyexpressiveofpeopleoutofbreath，andholdingthebreath，andhavingthepulsesquickenedbyexpectation.

thesoundofahorseatagallopcamefastandfuriouslyupthehill.