s now coming again over the earth; the dingle was again in deep shade;
I roused the fire with the breath of the bellows, and sat looking at the
cheerful glow; it was cheering and comforting. My little horse came now
and lay down on the ground beside the forge; I was not quite deserted. I
again ate some of the coarse food, and drank plentifully of the water
which I had fetched in the morning. I then put fresh fuel on the fire,
and sat for a long time looking on the blaze; I then went into my tent.

I awoke, on my own calculation, about midnight--it was pitch dark, and
there was much fear upon me.

CHAPTER LXXXV

Free and independent--I don't see why--Oats--A noise--Unwelcome
visitors--What's the matter?--Good-day to ye--The tall
girl--Dovrefeld--Blow on the face--Civil enough--What's this?--Vulgar
woman--Hands off--Gasping for breath--Long Melford--A pretty manoeuvre--A
long draught--Signs of animation--It won't do--No malice--Bad people.

Two mornings after the period to which I have brought the reader in the
preceding chapter, I sat by my fire at the bottom of the dingle; I had
just breakfasted, and had finished the last morsel of food which I had
brought with me to that solitude.

'What shall I now do?' said I to myself; 'shall I continue here, or
decamp?--this is a sad lonely spot--perhaps I had better quit it; but
whither shall I go? the wide world is before me, but what can I do
therein? I have been in the world already without much success. No, I
had better remain here; the place is lonely, it is true, but here I am
free and independent, and can do what I please; but I can't remain here
without food. Well, I will find my way to the nearest town, lay in a
fresh supply of provision, and come back, turning my back upon the world,
which has turned its back upon me. I don't see why I should not write a
little sometimes; I have pens and an ink-horn, and for a writing-desk I
can place the Bible on my knee. I shouldn't wonder if I could write a
capital satire on the world on the back of that Bible; but, first of all,
I must think of supplying myself with food.'

I rose up from the stone on which I was seated, determining to go to the
nearest town, with my little horse and cart, and procure what I wanted.
The nearest town, according to my best calculation, lay about five miles
distant; I had no doubt, however, that, by using ordinary diligence, I
should be back before evening. In order to go lighter,