Heenteredthetavern，andwasguidedbythemurmurofvoices，
andthefumesoftobacco，tothepublicroom。Itwasalongandlow
apartment，withoakenwalls，growndarkinthecontinualsmoke，and
afloor，whichwasthicklysanded，butofnoimmaculatepurity。A
numberofpersons-thelargerpartofwhomappearedtobemariners，or
insomewayconnectedwiththesea-occupiedthewoodenbenches，or
leather-bottomedchairs，conversingonvariousmatters，and
occasionallylendingtheirattentiontosometopicofgeneral
interest。Threeorfourlittlegroupsweredrainingasmanybowlsof
punch，whichtheWestIndiatradehadlongsincemadeafamiliardrink
inthecolony。Others，whohadtheappearanceofmenwholivedby
regularandlaborioushandicraft，preferredtheinsulatedblissof
anunsharedpotation，andbecamemoretaciturnunderitsinfluence。
Nearlyall，inshort，evincedapredilectionfortheGoodCreature
insomeofitsvariousshapes，forthisisavicetowhich，as
Fast-daysermonsofahundredyearsagowilltestify，wehavealong
hereditaryclaim。TheonlygueststowhomRobin’ssympathies
inclinedhimweretwoorthreesheepishcountrymen，whowereusingthe
innsomewhatafterthefashionofaTurkishcaravansary；theyhad
gottenthemselvesintothedarkestcorneroftheroom，and，heedless
oftheNicotianatmosphere，weresuppingonthebreadoftheirown
ovens，andthebaconcuredintheirownchimney-smoke。Butthough
Robinfeltasortofbrotherhoodwiththesestrangers，hiseyeswere
attractedfromthemtoapersonwhostoodnearthedoor，holding
whisperedconversationwithagroupofill-dressedassociates。His
featureswereseparatelystrikingalmosttogrotesqueness，andthe
wholefaceleftadeepimpressiononthememory。Theforeheadbulged
outintoadoubleprominence，withavalebetween；thenosecame
boldlyforthinanirregularcurve，anditsbridgewasofmorethan
afinger’sbreadth；theeyebrowsweredeepandshaggy，andtheeyes
glowedbeneaththemlikefireinacave。
WhileRobindeliberatedofwhomtoinquirerespectinghiskinsman’s
dwelling，hewasaccostedbytheinnkeeper，alittlemanina
stainedwhiteapron，whohadcometopayhisprofessionalwelcometo
thestranger。BeinginthesecondgenerationfromaFrenchProtestant，
heseemedtohaveinheritedthecourtesyofhisparentnation；but
novarietyofcircumstanceswaseverknowntochangehisvoicefrom
theoneshrillnoteinwhichhenowaddressedRobin。
“Fromthecountry，Ipresume，sir？”saidhe，withaprofoundbow。
“Begleavetocongratulateyouonyourarrival，andtrustyouintenda
longstaywithus。Finetownhere，sir，beautifulbuildings，and
muchthatmayinterestastranger。MayIhopeforthehonorofyour
commandsinrespecttosupper？”
“Themanseesafamilylikeness！theroguehasguessedthatIam
relatedtothemajor！”thoughtRobin，whohadhithertoexperienced
littlesuperfluouscivility。
Alleyeswerenowturnedonthecountrylad，standingatthe
door，inhiswornthree-corneredhat，graycoat，leatherbreeches，and
blueyarnstockings，leaningonanoakencudgel，andbearinga
walletonhisback。
Robinrepliedtothecourteousinnkeeper，withsuchanassumption
ofconfidenceasbefittedthemajor’srelative。“Myhonestfriend。”he
said，“Ishallmakeitapointtopatronizeyourhouseonsome
occasionwhen“-herehecouldnothelploweringhisvoice-“whenImay
havemorethanaparchmentthree-penceinmypocket。Mypresent
business。”continuedhe，speakingwithloftyconfidence，“ismerelyto
inquiremywaytothedwellingofmykinsman，MajorMolineux。”
Therewasasuddenandgeneralmovementintheroom，whichRobin
interpretedasexpressingtheeagernessofeachindividualtobecome
hisguide。Buttheinnkeeperturnedhiseyestoawrittenpaperonthe
wall，whichheread，orseemedtoread，withoccasionalrecurrencesto
theyoungman’sfigure。
“Whathavewehere？”saidhe，breakinghisspeechintolittledry
fragments。“’Leftthehouseofthesubscriber，boundenservant，
HezekiahMudge-hadon，whenhewentaway，graycoat，leather
breeches，master’sthird-besthat。Onepoundcurrencyrewardto
whosoevershalllodgehiminanyjailoftheprovince。’Bettertrudge，
boy，bettertrudge！”
Robinhadbeguntodrawhishandtowardsthelighterendoftheoak
cudgel，butastrangehostilityineverycountenanceinducedhimto
relinquishhispurposeofbreakingthecourteousinnkeeper’shead。
Asheturnedtoleavetheroom，heencounteredasneeringglance
fromthebold-featuredpersonagewhomhehadbeforenoticed；andno
soonerwashebeyondthedoor，thanheheardagenerallaugh，inwhich
theinnkeeper’svoicemightbedistinguished，likethedroppingof
smallstonesintoakettle。
“Now，isitnotstrange。”thoughtRobin，withhisusualshrewdness，
“isitnotstrange，thattheconfessionofanemptypocketshould
outweighthenameofmykinsman，MajorMolineux？O，ifIhadoneof
thosegrinningrascalsinthewoods，whereIandmyoaksaplinggrew
uptogether，Iwouldteachhimthatmyarmisheavy，thoughmypurse
belight！”
Onturningthecornerofthenarrowlane，Robinfoundhimselfin
aspaciousstreet，withanunbrokenlineofloftyhousesoneachside，
andasteepledbuildingattheupperend，whencetheringingofabell
announcedthehourofnine。Thelightofthemoon，andthelamps
fromthenumerousshopwindows，discoveredpeoplepromenadingonthe
pavement，andamongstthemRobinhopedtorecognizehishitherto
inscrutablerelative。Theresultofhisformerinquiriesmadehim
unwillingtohazardanother，inasceneofsuchpublicity，andhe
determinedtowalkslowlyandsilentlyupthestreet，thrustinghis
faceclosetothatofeveryelderlygentleman，insearchofthe
major’slineaments。Inhisprogress，Robinencounteredmanygayand
gallantfigures。Embroideredgarmentsofshowycolors，enormous
periwigs，gold-lacedhats，andsilver-hiltedswords，glidedpast
him，anddazzledhisoptics。Travelledyouth，imitatorsofthe
Europeanfinegentlemenoftheperiod，trodjauntilyalong，
half-dancingtothefashionabletuneswhichtheyhummed，andmaking
poorRobinashamedofhisquietandnaturalgait。Atlength，after
manypausestoexaminethegorgeousdisplayofgoodsintheshop
windows，andaftersufferingsomerebukesfortheimpertinenceof
hisscrutinyintopeople’sfaces，themajor’skinsmanfoundhimself
nearthesteepledbuilding，stillunsuccessfulinhissearch。As
yet，however，hehadseenonlyonesideofthethrongedstreet，so
Robincrossed，andcontinuedthesamesortofinquisitiondownthe
oppositepavement，withstrongerhopesthanthephilosopherseekingan
honestman，butwithnobetterfortune。Hehadarrivedaboutmidway
towardsthelowerend，fromwhichhiscoursebegan，whenhe
overheardtheapproachofsomeone，whostruckdownacaneonthe
flagstonesateverystep，uttering，atregularintervals，two
sepulchralhems。
“Mercyonus！”quothRobin，recognizingthesound。
Turningacorner，whichchancedtobecloseathisrighthand，he
hastenedtopursuehisresearchesinsomeotherpartofthetown。
Hispatiencenowwaswearinglow，andheseemedtofeelmorefatigue
fromhisramblessincehecrossedtheferry，thanfromhisjourney
ofseveraldaysontheotherside。Hungeralsopleadedloudlywithin
him，andRobinbegantobalancetheproprietyofdemanding，violently，
andwithliftedcudgel，thenecessaryguidancefromthefirstsolitary
passengerwhomheshouldmeet。Whilearesolutiontothiseffectwas
gainingstrength，heenteredastreetofmeanappearance，oneither
sideofwhicharowofill-builthouseswasstragglingtowardsthe
harbor。Themoonlightfelluponnopassengeralongthewholeextent，
butinthethirddomicilewhichRobinpassedtherewasahalf-opened
door，andhiskeenglancedetectedawoman’sgarmentwithin。
“Myluckmaybebetterhere。”saidhetohimself。
Accordingly，heapproachedthedoor，andbehelditshutcloseras
hedidso；yetanopenspaceremained，sufficingforthefairoccupant
toobservethestranger，withoutacorrespondingdisplayonher
part。AllthatRobincoulddiscernwasastripofscarletpetticoat，
andtheoccasionalsparkleofaneye，asifthemoonbeamswere
tremblingonsomebrightthing。
“Prettymistress。”forImaycallhersowithagoodconscience，
thoughttheshrewdyouth，sinceIknownothingtothecontrary-“my
sweetprettymistress，willyoubekindenoughtotellme
whereaboutsImustseekthedwellingofmykinsman，MajorMolineux？”
Robin’svoicewasplaintiveandwinning，andthefemale，seeing
nothingtobeshunnedinthehandsomecountryyouth，thrustopenthe
door，andcameforthintothemoonlight。Shewasadaintylittle
figure，withawhiteneck，roundarms，andaslenderwaist，atthe
extremityofwhichherscarletpetticoatjuttedoutoverahoop，asif
shewerestandinginaballoon。Moreover，herfacewasovaland
pretty，herhairdarkbeneaththelittlecap，andherbrighteyes
possessedaslyfreedom，whichtriumphedoverthoseofRobin。
“MajorMolineuxdwellshere。”saidthisfairwoman。
Now，hervoicewasthesweetestRobinhadheardthatnight，the
airycounterpartofastreamofmeltedsilver；yethecouldnothelp
doubtingwhetherthatsweetvoicespokeGospeltruth。Helookedupand
downthemeanstreet，andthensurveyedthehousebeforewhichthey
stood。Itwasasmall，darkedificeoftwostories，thesecondof
whichprojectedoverthelowerfloor；andthefrontapartmenthad
theaspectofashopforpettycommodities。
“NowtrulyIaminluck。”repliedRobin，cunningly，“andso
indeedismykinsman，themajor，inhavingsoprettyahousekeeper。
ButIpritheetroublehimtosteptothedoor；Iwilldeliverhima
messagefromhisfriendsinthecountry，andthengobacktomy
lodgingsattheinn。”
“Nay，themajorhasbeena-bedthishourormore。”saidtheladyof
thescarletpetticoat；“anditwouldbetolittlepurposetodisturb
himtonight，seeinghiseveningdraughtwasofthestrongest。Buthe
isakind-heartedman，anditwouldbeasmuchasmylife’sworthto
letakinsmanofhisturnawayfromthedoor。Youarethegoodold
gentleman’sverypicture，andIcouldswearthatwashisrainy-weather
hat。Alsohehasgarmentsverymuchresemblingthoseleather
small-clothes。Butcomein，Ipray，forIbidyouheartywelcomein
hisname。”
Sosaying，thefairandhospitabledametookourherobythe
hand；andthetouchwaslight，andtheforcewasgentleness，and
thoughRobinreadinhereyeswhathedidnothearinherwords，yet
theslender-waistedwomaninthescarletpetticoatprovedstronger
thantheathleticcountryyouth。Shehaddrawnhishalf-willing
footstepsnearlytothethreshold，whentheopeningofadoorinthe
neighborhoodstartledthemajor’shousekeeper，and，leavingthe
major’skinsman，shevanishedspeedilyintoherowndomicile。A
heavyyawnprecededtheappearanceofaman，who，liketheMoonshine
ofPyramusandThisbe，carriedalantern，needlesslyaidinghissister
luminaryintheheavens。Ashewalkedsleepilyupthestreet，he
turnedhisbroad，dullfaceonRobin，anddisplayedalongstaff，
spikedattheend。
“Home，vagabond，home！”saidthewatchman，inaccentsthatseemed
tofallasleepassoonastheywereuttered。“Home，orwe’llsetyou
inthestocks，bypeepofday！”
“Thisisthesecondhintofthekind。”thoughtRobin。“Iwish
theywouldendmydifficulties，bysettingmetheretonight。”
Nevertheless，theyouthfeltaninstinctiveantipathytowardsthe
guardianofmidnightorder，whichatfirstpreventedhimfromasking
hisusualquestion。Butjustwhenthemanwasabouttovanishbehind
thecorner，Robinresolvednottolosetheopportunity，andshouted
lustilyafterhim-“Isay，friend！willyouguidemetothehouseof
mykinsman，MajorMolineux？”
