Page 87 - erewhon

that it was out of mind also! Pray heaven that it is so now,
and that she is married happily among her own people, and
has forgotten me!
And now began a long and tedious journey with which I
should hardly trouble the reader if I could. He is safe, how-
ever, for the simple reason that I was blindfolded during
the greater part of the time. A bandage was put upon my
eyes every morning, and was only removed at night when
I reached the inn at which we were to pass the night. We
travelled slowly, although the roads were good. We drove
but one horse, which took us our day’s journey from morn-
ing till evening, about six hours, exclusive of two hours’ rest
in the middle of the day. I do not suppose we made above
thirty or thirty-five miles on an average. Each day we had
a fresh horse. As I have said already, I could see nothing
of the country. I only know that it was level, and that sev-
eral times we had to cross large rivers in ferry-boats. The
inns were clean and comfortable. In one or two of the larger
towns they were quite sumptuous, and the food was good
and well cooked. The same wonderful health and grace and
beauty prevailed everywhere.
I found myself an object of great interest; so much so,
that the driver told me he had to keep our route secret, and
at times to go to places that were not directly on our road,
in order to avoid the press that would otherwise have await-
ed us. Every evening I had a reception, and grew heartily
tired of having to say the same things over and over again
in answer to the same questions, but it was impossible to be
angry with people whose manners were so delightful. They

Erewhon