82 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



conduct of the war and the disasters of their 

 country. Jefferies does not appear, however, to 

 have been much struck with the terror and pity 

 of the situation. It was his first experience of 

 foreign life, not counting his boyish escapade ; 

 his delight in the hotel, the table d'hote, the 

 wine, the brightness and apparent happiness of 

 the Brussels people they do somehow seem 

 younger and happier than any other people in 

 the world, except, perhaps, the Marseillais is 

 very vividly expressed. The ladies dazzle 

 him ; he thinks of " our London dowdies " and 

 shudders ; but alas 1 he cannot talk to them. 



Then he goes back to Swindon, but not, for 

 the present, to Coate. There is trouble at 

 home. His father has to be brought round 

 gradually to look at things from his son's point 

 of view. Till that happy frame of mind has 

 been arrived at he cannot go home. But his 

 mother visits him, and so far as she is con- 

 cerned all is well. He is out of work and 

 has no money two shillings and threepence 

 can hardly be called money. Meantime, his 

 mind is still excited by his recent experiences. 

 He will never be happy in the country again ; 



