第13部分(第3/7 頁)

e　depths　above　will　have　only　the　more　solace　for　my　starved　anatomy　because　of　this　protracted　disappointment？

XV

I　have　been　at　the　seaside……enjoying　it；　yes；　but　in　what　a　doddering；　senile　sort　of　way！　Is　it　I　who　used　to　drink　the　strong　wind　like　wine；　who　ran　exultingly　along　the　wet　sands　and　leapt　from　rock　to　rock；　barefoot；　on　the　slippery　seaweed；　who　breasted　the　swelling　breaker；　and　shouted　with　joy　as　it　buried　me　in　gleaming　foam？　At　the　seaside　I　knew　no　such　thing　as　bad　weather；　there　were　but　changes　of　eager　mood　and　full…blooded　life。　Now；　if　the　breeze　blow　too　roughly；　if　there　e　a　pelting　shower；　I　must　look　for　shelter；　and　sit　with　my　cloak　about　me。　It　is　but　a　new　reminder　that　I　do　best　to　stay　at　home；　travelling　only　in　reminiscence。

At　Weymouth　I　enjoyed　a　hearty　laugh；　one　of　the　good　things　not　easy　to　get　after　middle　age。　There　was　a　notice　of　steamboats　which　ply　along　the　coast；　steamboats　remended　to　the　public　as　being　〃REPLETE　WITH　LAVATORIES　AND　A　LADIES'　SALOON。〃　Think　how　many　people　read　this　without　a　chuckle！

XVI

In　the　last　ten　years　I　have　seen　a　good　deal　of　English　inns　in　many　parts　of　the　country；　and　it　astonishes　me　to　find　how　bad　they　are。　Only　once　or　twice　have　I　chanced　upon　an　inn　（or；　if　you　like；　hotel）　where　I　enjoyed　any　sort　of　fort。　More　often　than　not；　even　the　beds　are　unsatisfactory……either　pretentiously　huge　and　choked　with　drapery；　or　hard　and　thinly　accoutred。　Furnishing　is　uniformly　hideous；　and　there　is　either　no　attempt　at　ornament　（the　safest　thing）　or　a　villainous　taste　thrusts　itself　upon　one　at　every　turn。　The　meals；　in　general；　are　coarse　and　poor　in　quality；　and　served　with　gross　slovenliness。

I　have　often　heard　it　said　that　the　touring　cyclist　h