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？”