"Never mind who it was," said Walter gravely; "use the gift discreetly." "Umph!" said the Corporal--"yes, your honour," renewed he after a pause. "It be a marvel to think on how much a man does in the way of cheating, as has the gift of the gab. Wants a Missis, talks her over--wants your purse, talks you out on it--wants a place, talks himself into it.--What makes the Parson? words!--the lawyer? words--the Parliament-man? words!-- words can ruin a country, in the Big House--words save souls, in the Pulpits--words make even them ere authors, poor creturs, in every man's mouth.--Augh! Sir, take note of the words, and the things will take care of themselves--bother!" "Your reflections amaze me, Bunting," said Walter smiling; "but the night begins to close in; I trust we shall not meet with any misadventure." "'Tis an ugsome bit of road!" said the Corporal, looking round him. "The pistols?" "Primed and loaded, your honour." "After all, Bunting, a little skirmish would be no bad sport--eh?-- especially to an old soldier like you." "Augh, baugh! 'tis no pleasant work, fighting, without pay, at least; 'tis not like love and eating, your honour, the better for being, what they calls, 'gratis!'" "Yet I have heard you talk of the pleasure of fighting; not for pay, Bunting, but for your King and Country!" "Augh! and that's when I wanted to cheat the poor creturs at Grassdale, your honour; don't take the liberty to talk stuff to my master!" They continued thus to beguile the way, till Walter again sank into a reverie, while the Corporal, who began more and more to dislike the aspect of the ground they had entered on, still rode by his side. The road was heavy, and wound down the long hill which had stricken so much dismay into the Corporal's stout heart on the previous day, when he had beheld its commencement at the extremity of the town, where but for him they had not dined. They were now little more than a mile from the said town, the whole of the way was taken up by this hill, and the road, very different from the smoothened declivities of the present day, seemed to have been cut down the very steepest part of its centre; loose stones, and deep ruts encreased the difficulty of the descent, and it was with a slow pace and a guarded rein that both our travellers now continued their journey. On the left side of the road was a thick and lofty hedge; to the right, a wild, bare, savage heath, sloped downward, and just afforded a glimpse of the spires and chimneys of the town, at which the Corporal was already supping in idea! That incomparable personage was, however, abruptly recalled to the present instant, by a most violent stumble on the part of his hard-mouthed, Romannosed horse. The horse was all but down, and the Corporal all but over. "Damn it," said the Corporal, slowly recovering his perpendicularity, "and the way to Lunnon was as smooth as a bowling-green!"