utterly new to me. Moreover, with the cloud came the twilight,
and a most disagreeably keen wind. The traveling-bag became unbearably
heavy. I shifted it from one hand to the other; I hung it over
my shoulder; I put it under my arm; I carried it in all sorts
of ways, but none afforded me any permanent relief. To add to my
misfortune, I strongly suspected that I had mistaken my way, for
by this time the snow was so deep that the footpath was altogether
obliterated. In this predicament I looked out wistfully across
the whitened landscape for signs of an inn or habitation of some
description where I might "put up" for the night, and by good fortune
(or was it bad?) I at last espied through the gathering gloom a
solitary and not very distant light twinkling from a lodge at the
entrance of a private road. I fought my way through the snow as
quickly as possible, and, presenting myself at the gate of the little
cottage, rang the bell complacently, and flattered myself that I
had at length discovered a resting-place. An old man with grey
hair answered my summons. Him I acquainted with my misfortune,
and to him I preferred my request that I might be allowed a night's
shelter in the lodge, or at least the temporary privilege of drying
myself and my habiliments at his fireside. The old fellow admitted
me cheerfully enough; but he seemed more than doubtful as to the
possibility of my passing the night beneath his roof.

"Ye see, sir," he said, "we've only one small room--me and the missis;
and I don't well see how we're to manage about you. All the same,
sir, I wouldn't advise ye to go on tonight, for if ye're bound for
Mr ---'s, ye've come a deal out of your way, and the storm's getting
worse and worse every minute. We shall have a nasty night of it,
sir, and it'll be a deal too stiff for travelling on foot."