"I listened to these men for upward of an hour, following them up and
down the pier, with my pipe in my mouth, and hearing all their talk.
After this I fell into conversation with them myself, and ascertained
that there was a vessel going to leave Liverpool in three days, by which
vessel one of the men was going out. This man gave me all the
information I required, and told me, moreover, that a stalwart young
fellow, such as I was, could hardly fail to do well in the diggings. The
thought flashed upon me so suddenly, that I grew hot and red in the
face, and trembled in every limb with excitement. This was better than
the water, at any rate. Suppose I stole away from my darling, leaving
her safe under her father's roof, and went and made a fortune in the new
world, and came back in a twelvemonth to throw it into her lap; for I
was so sanguine in those days that I counted on making my fortune in a
year or so. I thanked the man for his information, and late at night
strolled homeward. It was bitter winter weather, but I had been too full
of passion to feel cold, and I walked through the quiet streets, with
the snow drifting in my face, and a desperate hopefulness in my heart.
The old man was sitting drinking brandy-and-water in the little
dining-room; and my wife was up-stairs, sleeping peacefully, with the
baby on her breast. I sat down and wrote a few brief lines, which told
her that I never had loved her better than now, when I seemed to desert
her; that I was going to try my fortune in the new world, and that if I
succeeded I should come back to bring her plenty and happiness; but that
if I failed I should never look upon her face again. I divided the
remainder of our money--something over forty pounds--into two equal
portions, leaving one for her, and putting the other in my pocket. I
knelt down and prayed for my wife and child, with my head upon the white
counterpane that covered them. I wasn't much of a praying man at
ordinary times, but God knows _that_ was a heartfelt prayer. I kissed