The Ayes and Noes 



places), or descend it to Seville. I was beginning to be 

 footsore, and felt dusty and unclean. On the one hand was 

 the desire of adventures ; on the other, the desire of washing, 

 clean linen, and rest for the soles of my feet. Alcala del 

 Rio, crowning a steep bank, was not without attraction to 

 my eyes ; but the noes had it, and I turned down stream 

 towards the Giralda, which seemed nine or ten miles 

 distant. 



While I was wandering wearily along the bank, a boat 

 came ploughing up the stream with a fresh breeze full 

 behind a great belly of white canvas. The steady, easy- 

 going motion made me wish to be on board, sitting at leisure 

 to be blown along to fresh adventures. Not long after 

 came another, and I had more than half a mind to hail her, 

 and see whether they would take me up to Alcala. 



Against this project there was the uncertainty whether 

 they would go as far ; whether the wind would not be con- 

 trary in the next reach, and whether they would stop for 

 me if I asked them. Besides which, it was to be considered 

 that I was weary and footsore, and in want of washing and 

 clean linen, and should probably be still more so, and still 

 less fit to prosecute my adventures on the morrow, when I 

 might find myself, perhaps, quite knocked up, at a consider- 

 able distance from home. 



These considerations only lasted long enough for the boat 

 to sail by ; and by the time she was fairly out of my reach, 

 I was very sorry I had been so irresolute and prudent. I 

 determined that I was destined to go by a third and luckier 

 boat, for which, however, I did not think it wise to wait 

 here, in case it should never come. Continuing to approach 

 Seville by the bank, I came at last to a reed hut. Here 

 were an old man and woman, and a little boy about 

 twelve. 



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