With respect to not knowing
what's o'clock, I cannot see anything particularly sad in the
matter. A man may get through the world very creditably without
knowing what's o'clock. Yet, upon the whole, it is no bad thing to
know what's o'clock--you, of course, do? It would be too good a
joke if two people were to be together, one knowing Armenian and
the other Chinese, and neither knowing what's o'clock. I'll now
see you off."
CHAPTER XXXVI
Arrival at Horncastle--The Inn and Ostlers--The Garret--Figure of a
Man with a Candle.
Leaving the house of the old man who knew Chinese, but could not
tell what was o'clock, I wended my way to Horncastle, which I
reached in the evening of the same day, without having met any
adventure on the way worthy of being marked down in this very
remarkable history.
The town was a small one, seemingly ancient, and was crowded with
people and horses. I proceeded, without delay, to the inn to which
my friend the surgeon had directed me. "It is of no use coming
here," said two or three ostlers, as I entered the yard--"all full-
-no room whatever;" whilst one added in an undertone, "That ere
a'n't a bad-looking horse." "I want to see the master of this
inn," said I, as I dismounted from the horse. "See the master,"
said an ostler--the same who had paid the negative kind of
compliment to the horse--"a likely thing, truly; my master is
drinking wine with some of the grand gentry, and can't be disturbed
for the sake of the like of you.
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