[Chap. IV] HERTFORD: MY SCHOOL LIFE 47 



For some weeks after this I lived a very enjoyable life in 

 bed, having tea and toast, puddings, grapes, and other luxuries 

 till I was well again. Then, before going back to Latin 

 grammar and other studies of the period, a little incident 

 or interlude occurred which I am unable to place at any 

 other period. How it came about I do not at all remember, 

 but a gentleman farmer from Norfolk must have come to see 

 us about some business, possibly connected with my sister 

 and her desired occupation as a governess, and seeing me, 

 and perhaps hearing of my recent illness, offered to take me 

 home with him for a visit to play with his boy of about my 

 age, and to go to Cromer, where his wife, with her sister and 

 son, were going for change of air. As it was thought that the 

 change would do me good, and I was delighted at the idea of 

 going to such a nice seaside place as Cromer, his offer was 

 kindly accepted. As it happened we did not go to Cromer, 

 but my visit was, so far as I remember, an enjoyable one. 

 We went by coach to Ely, where we stayed the night at a 

 large inn almost joining the cathedral. No doubt we had had 

 dinner on the way, and I had tea on our arrival, but my host, 

 whose name I cannot remember, dined with a large party of 

 gentlemen — probably a farmers' dinner — about six o'clock, 

 and he told me to walk about and see the shops or wait in 

 the hall, and I should come in for dessert. So for more than 

 an hour I wandered up and down the street near the hotel 

 and past the great entrance to the cathedral. At last a 

 servant came and called me in, and my friend bade me sit 

 beside him, and introduced me to the company as a real 

 Wallace — " Scots wae hae wi' Wallace bled," he added, I 

 suppose to show what he meant. Then I had fruit of many 

 kinds, including fine grapes, and a glass of wine, and after an 

 hour more went to bed. 



In the morning, after breakfast, we started in a chaise 

 which had been sent from my friend's home overnight to 

 meet him, and we had a long drive to the farm, where w^e 

 arrived early in the afternoon, and found dinner ready for us. 

 There were, I think, two ladies, my friend's wife and her 

 sister, a boy about my own age, and I think the lady's 



