of hand to mine, when I fold up my own nutshells and pass them
on myself as notes!

Having settled that I must go to the Blue Boar, my mind was
much disturbed by indecision whether or no to take the Avenger.
It was tempting to think of that expensive Mercenary publicly
airing his boots in the archway of the Blue Boar's posting-yard:
it was almost solemn to imagine him casually produced in the
tailor's shop and confounding the disrespectful senses of Trabb's
boy. On the other hand, Trabb's boy might worm himself into his
intimacy and tell him things; or, reckless and desperate wretch as
I knew he could be, might hoot him in the High Street. My patron-
ess, too, might hear of him, and not approve. On the whole, I re-
solved to leave the Avenger behind.

It was the afternoon coach by which I had taken my place, and,
as winter had now come round, I should not arrive at my destina-
tion until two or three hours after dark. Our time of starting from
the Cross Keys was two o'clock. I arrived on the ground with a
quarter of an hour to spare, attended by the Avenger--if I may
connect that expression with one who never attended on me if he
could possibly help it.

At that time it was customary to carry Convicts down to the
dockyards by stage-coach. As I had often heard of them in the
capacity of outside passengers, and had more than once seen them
on the high road dangling their ironed legs over the coach roof, I
had no cause to be surprised when Herbert, meeting me in the
yard, came up and told me there were two convicts going down
with me. But I had a reason that was an old reason now, for con-
stitutionally faltering whenever I heard the word convict.

'You don't mind them, Handel?' said Herbert.

'Oh no!'

'I thought you seemed as if you didn't like them?'

'I can't pretend that I do like them, and I suppose you don't
particularly. But I don't mind them.'

'See! There they are,' said Herbert, 'coming out of the Tap.
What a degraded and vile sight it is!'

They had been treating their guard, I suppose, for they had a
gaoler with them, and all three came out wiping their mouths on

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