70 THE LIFE OF RICHARD JEFFERIES 



one drunken man or woman, though I have been literally 

 all over the city at all hours. Yesterday in the park, a 

 little one at play rolled her ball under my feet — so she 

 came up and looked at me, and lisped, " Pardonnez, 

 monsieur," and picked it up. Then came three more 

 with a skipping-rope, crying, "Un, deux, trois, and 

 over!'" 



At Brussels, too, he saw the wounded coming back from 

 Sedan ; and fifteen years later at Eltham he could still 

 see the glow of intense pain in the eyes of one of the 

 soldiers who were brought in during ' the dusk of the 

 lovely September evenings — it was a beautiful Septem- 

 ber ; the lime-leaves were just tinted with orange.' 



His family at Coate must have resented this holiday- 

 making ; he had no regular work, and they probably 

 thought him frivolous ; and on returning to Sydenham 

 at the end of September he wrote this letter to John 

 Woolford, a farmer at Snodshill, near Coate Farm : 



' Dear Sir, 



' I once told you that if ever I found myself in a 

 difficulty I should come to you for help, and you were 

 kind enough to say you would give it if it lay in your 

 power. The truth is, I know no other to whom I can turn, 

 for you are the only man I am acquainted with who has 

 a generous sentiment. I have plenty of friends and rela- 

 tives who have plenty of money, and who, so long as they 

 believe me to be in a good position, will be ready enough 

 to do anything for me, but let them once understand 

 that I have got into a difficulty, they will shrug up their 

 shoulders — as the old song says : " they will give unto 

 those who don't want it." My pride, I think a proper 

 pride, prevents me from asking these people. I could 

 remain here with my kind aunt as long as I liked, but the 

 truth would come out, and although she would not alter, 

 yet the rest would look down upon me with contempt, and 

 my presence would expose her to unpleasant remarks 

 which I could not bear. I cannot return home for some- 



