第71部分(第5/7 頁)

gh。

I　fear　that　this　has　been　rather　a　dull　chapter；　for　its　subject　is　always　dull；　and　he　who　decants　thereon　is　apt　to　be　considered　an　agricultural　bore。　Also　it　has　involved　the　quotation　of　several　letters　and　the　reprinting　of　some　extracts　from　books；　which　are　apt　to　look　wearisome　in　type。　Yet　I　did　not　see　how　these　could　be　omitted；　since　the　words　set　down　years　ago　do　give　exactly　the　writer’s　thoughts　and　views　in　a　fashion　more　pletely　accurate　than　can　any　summary　founded　on　his　recollections。　Memory　is　a　treacherous　thing；　and　one　to　which　in　such　matters　it　is　not　well　to　trust。

Strange　and　varied　were　the　establishments　in　which　Cochrane　and　I　often　found　ourselves　as　guests　during　the　course　of　these　“Rural　England”　journeyings。　When　it　was　announced　that　I　was　going　to　visit　a　given　county　we　invariably　received　many　kind　offers　of　hospitality。　Since；　as　a　rule；　we　knew　nothing　of　our　would…be　hosts；　our　method　of　dealing　with　these　was　to　take　a　map　and　accept　at　hazard　those　invitations　which　would　bring　us　nearest　to　the　centre　of　the　various　districts　we　wished　to　investigate。　Really　it　was　a　wise　plan；　for　it　brought　us　into　touch　with　all　sorts　and　conditions　of　men。

When；　at　the　given　day　and　hour；　we　drove　up　to　the　residence　of　our　unknown　host；　often　enough　it　was　without　knowing　whether　we　should　find　a　palace　or　a　farmhouse。

I　could　write　a　whole　chapter；　if　not　a　small　book；　about　the　places　where　we　stayed　and　their　inhabitants。　One　night；　for　instance；　we　found　ourselves　in　an　ancient　and　gigantic　baronial　castle。　While　I　was　undressing　Cochrane　arrived　in　my　apartment；　which　was　huge　and　gloomy；　and　asked　me　if　I　would　mind　ing　to　inspect　his　sleeping…place。　I　did；　and　by　the　light　of　a　few　struggling　can