at all; had actually
drawn up a bill announcing (indefinitely) the postponement of the
readings; and had meant to give him a reading to cover the charges
incurred--but yielded at last to his representations the other way. We
ran through a snow storm nearly the whole way, and in Wales got snowed
up, came to a stoppage, and had to dig the engine out. . . . We got to
Dublin at last, found it snowing and raining, and heard that it had been
snowing and raining since the first day of the year. . . . As to outward
signs of trouble or preparation, they are very few. At Kingstown our
boat was waited for by four armed policemen, and some stragglers in
various dresses who were clearly detectives. But there was no show of
soldiery. My people carry a long heavy box containing gas-fittings. This
was immediately laid hold of; but one of the stragglers instantly
interposed on seeing my name, and came to me in the carriage and
apologised. . . . The worst looking young fellow I ever saw, turned up at
Holyhead before we went to bed there, and sat glooming and glowering by
the coffee-room fire while we warmed ourselves. He said he had been
snowed up with us (which we didn't believe), and was horribly
disconcerted by some box of his having gone to Dublin without him. We
said to one another 'Fenian:' and certainly he disappeared in the
morning, and let his box go where it would." What Dickens heard and saw
in Dublin, during this visit, convinced him that Fenianism and
disaffection had found their way into several regiments.

[260] This renders it worth preservation in a note. He called it

"THE CASE IN A NUTSHELL.

"1. I think it may be taken as proved, that
general enthusiasm and excitement are awakened
in America on the subject of the Readings, and
that the people are prepared to give me a great
reception. _The New York Herald_, indeed, is of
opinion that 'Dickens must apologise first';
and where a _New York Herald_ is possible,
anything is possible. But the prevailing tone,
both of the press and of people of all
conditions, is highly favourable. I have an
opinion myself that the Irish element in New
York is dangerous; for the reason that the
Fenians would be glad to damage a conspicuous
Englishman. This is merely an opinion of my
own.