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myself； after all； for leaving them to fight it out alone； followed the
landlord； landlady； and waiter of the Holly…Tree up…stairs。
I thought I had never seen such a large room as that into which they
showed me。 It had five windows； with dark red curtains that would have
absorbed the light of a general illumination； and there were complications
of drapery at the top of the curtains； that went wandering about the wall in
a most extraordinary manner。 I asked for a smaller room； and they told
me there was no smaller room。
They could screen me in； however； the landlord said。 They brought a
great old japanned screen； with natives （Japanese； I suppose） engaged in a
variety of idiotic pursuits all over it； and left me roasting whole before an
immense fire。
My bedroom was some quarter of a mile off； up a great staircase at the
end of a long gallery； and nobody knows what a misery this is to a bashful
man who would rather not meet people on the stairs。 It was the grimmest
room I have ever had the nightmare in； and all the furniture； from the four
posts of the bed to the two old silver candle…sticks； was tall； high…
shouldered； and spindle…waisted。 Below； in my sitting…room； if I looked
round my screen； the wind rushed at me like a mad bull； if I stuck to my
arm…chair； the fire scorched me to the colour of a new brick。 The
chimney…piece was very high； and there was a bad glasswhat I may call a
wavy glass above it； which； when I stood up； just showed me my anterior
phrenological developments；and these never look well； in any subject；
cut short off at the eyebrow。 If I stood with my back to the fire； a gloomy
vault of darkness above and beyond the screen insisted on being looked at；
and； in its dim remoteness； the drapery of the ten curtains of the five
windows went twisting and creeping about； like a nest of gigantic worms。
I suppose that what I observe in myself must be observed by some
other men of similar character in themselves； therefore I am emboldened
to mention； that； when I travel； I never arrive at a place but I immediately
want to go away from it。 Before I had finished my supper of broiled fowl
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THE HOLLY…TREETHREE BRANCHES
and mulled port； I had impressed upon the waiter in detail my
arrangements for departure in the morning。 Breakfast and bill at eight。
Fly at nine。 Two horses； or； if needful； even four。
Tired though I was； the night appeared about a week long。 In cases
of nightmare； I thought of Angela； and felt more depressed than ever by
the reflection that I was on the shortest road to Gretna Green。 What had I
to do with Gretna Green？ I was not going that way to the Devil； but by
the American route； I remarked in my bitterness。
In the morning I found that it was snowing still； that it had snowed all
night； and that I was snowed up。 Nothing could get out of that spot on
the moor； or could come at it； until the road had been cut out by labourers
from the market…town。 When they might cut their way to the Holly…Tree
nobody could tell me。
It was now Christmas…eve。 I should have had a dismal Christmas…
time of it anywhere； and consequently that did not so much matter； still；
being snowed up was like dying of frost； a thing I had not bargained for。
I felt very lonely。 Yet I could no more have proposed to the landlord and
landlady to admit me to their society （though I should have liked itvery
much） than I could have asked them to present me with a piece of plate。
Here my great secret； the real bashfulness of my character； is to be
observed。 Like most bashful men； I judge of other people as if they were
bashful too。 Besides being far too shamefaced to make the proposal
myself； I really had a delicate misgiving that it would be in the last degree
disconcerting to them。
Trying to settle down； therefore； in my solitude； I first of all asked
what books there were in the house。 The waiter brought me a Book of
Roads； two or three old Newspapers； a little Song…Book； terminating in a
collection of Toasts and Sentiments； a little Jest… Book； an odd volume of
Peregrine Pickle； and the Sentimental Journey。 I knew every word of the
two last already； but I read them through again； then tried to hum all the
songs （Auld Lang Syne was among them）； went entirely through the
jokes；in which I found a fund of melancholy adapted to my state of mind；
proposed all the toasts； enunciated all the sentiments； and mastered the
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THE HOLLY…TREETHREE BRANCHES
papers。 The latter had nothing in them but stock advertisements； a
meeting about a county rate； and a highway robbery。 As I am a greedy
reader； I could not make this supply hold out until night； it was exhausted
by tea…time。 Being then entirely cast upon my own resources； I got
through an hour in considering what to do next。 Ultimately； it came into
my head （from which I was anxious by any means to exclude Angela and
Edwin）； that I would endeavour to recall my experience of Inns； and
would try how long it lasted me。 I stirred the fire； moved my chair a little
to one side of the screen；not daring to go far； for I knew the wind was
waiting to make a rush at me； I could hear it growling；and began。
My first impressions of an Inn dated from the Nursery； consequently I
went back to the Nursery for a starting…point； and found myself at the knee
of a sallow woman with a fishy eye； an aquiline nose； and a green gown；
whose specially was a dismal narrative of a landlord by the roadside；
whose visitors unaccountably disappeared for many years； until it was
discovered that the pursuit of his life had been to convert them into pies。
For the better devotion of himself to this branch of industry； he had
constructed a secret door behind the head of the bed； and when the visitor
（oppressed with pie） had fallen asleep； this wicked landlord would look
softly in with a lamp in one hand and a knife in the other； would cut his
throat； and would make him into pies； for which purpose he had coppers；
underneath a trap…door； always boili