e to guide me. There were wheel-tracks in both,
and ruts and stones tolerably equitably adjusted; each had a pathway,
too--the right-hand road enjoying a slight superiority over the other in
this respect, as its path was more even.

I was completely puzzled. Had I been mounted, I had left the matter
to my horse; but unhappily my decision had not a particle of reason to
guide it. I looked from the road to the trees, and from the trees to
the stars, but they looked down as tranquilly as though either way would
do--all save one, a sly little brilliant spangle in the south, that
seemed to wink at my difficulty. 'No matter,' said I, 'one thing is
certain--neither a supper nor a bed will come to look for me here; and
so now for the best pathway, as I begin to feel foot-sore.'

My momentary embarrassment about the road completely routed all my
musings, and I now turned my thoughts to the comforts of the inn, and to
the pleasant little supper I promised myself on reaching it. I debated
as to what was in season and what was not. I spelled October twice to
ascertain if oysters were in, and there came a doubt across me whether
the Flemish name for the month might have an r in it, and then I laughed
at my own bull; afterwards I disputed with myself as to the relative
merits of Chablis and Hochheimer, and resolved to be guided by the
_garcon_. I combated long a weakness I felt growing over me for a pint
of mulled claret, as the air was now becoming fresh; but I gave in at
last, and began to hammer my brain for the French words for cloves and
nutmeg.

In these innocent ruminations did an hour pass by, and yet no sign of
human habitation, no sound of life, could I perceive at either side of
me. The night, 'tis true, was brighter as it became later, and there
were stars in thousands in the sky; but I would gladly have exchanged
Venus for the chambermaid of the humblest _auberge_, and given the Great
Bear himself for a single slice of bacon. At length, after about two
hours' walking, I remarked that the road was becoming much more steep;
indeed, it had presented a continual ascent for some miles, but now the
acclivity was very considerable, particularly at the close of a long
day's march. I remembered well that Spa lay in a valley, but for the
life of me I could not think whether a mountain was to be crossed to
arrive there. 'That comes of travelling by post,' said I to myself; had
I walked the road, I had never forgotten so remarkabl