Hewasdressedlikeasailor，andappearedtobebetweentwenty-
　　fiveandthirtyyearsofage-hehadanopenmanlycountenance，andtherewasaboldandfearlessexpressioninhiseye。
　　’Yes，’saidI，inreplytohisquestion；’thisisoneofthewaystoLondon。Doyoucomefromfar？’
　　’From-，’saidtheman，namingawell-knownseaport。
　　’IsthisthedirectroadtoLondonfromthatplace？’Idemanded。
　　’No，’saidtheman；’butIhadtovisittwoorthreeotherplacesoncertaincommissionsIwasintrustedwith；amongstothersto-，whereIhadtotakeasmallsumofmoney。Iamrathertired，master；and，ifyouplease，Iwillsitdownbesideyou。’
　　’YouhaveasmuchrighttositdownhereasIhave，’saidI；’theroadisfreeforeveryone；asforsittingdownbesideme，youhavethelookofanhonestman，andIhavenoobjectiontoyourcompany。’
　　’Why，asforbeinghonest，master，’saidtheman，laughingandsittingdownbyme，’Ihaven’tmuchtosay-manyisthewildthingIhavedonewhenIwasyounger；however，whatisdone，isdone。Tolearn，onemustlive，master；andIhavelivedlongenoughtolearnthegrandpointofwisdom。’
　　’Whatisthat？’saidI。
　　’Thathonestyisthebestpolicy，master。’
　　’Youappeartobeasailor，’saidI，lookingathisdress。
　　’Iwasnotbredasailor，’saidtheman，’though，whenmyfootisonthesaltwater，Icanplaythepart-andplayitwelltoo。I
　　amnowfromalongvoyage。’
　　’FromAmerica？’saidI。
　　’Fartherthanthat，’saidtheman。
　　’Haveyouanyobjectiontotellme？’saidI。
　　’FromNewSouthWales，’saidtheman，lookingmefullintheface。
　　’Dearme，’saidI。
　　’Whydoyousay“Dearme“？’saidtheman。
　　’Itisaverylongwayoff，’saidI。
　　’Wasthatyourreasonforsayingso？’saidtheman。
　　’Notexactly，’saidI。
　　’No，’saidtheman，withsomethingofabittersmile；’itwassomethingelsethatmadeyousayso；youwerethinkingoftheconvicts。’
　　’Well，’saidI，’whatthen-youarenoconvict。’
　　’Howdoyouknow？’
　　’Youdonotlooklikeone。’
　　’Thankyou，master，’saidthemancheerfully；’and，toacertainextent，youareright-bygonesarebygones-IamnolongerwhatI
　　was，noreverwillbeagain；thetruth，however，isthetruth-aconvictIhavebeen-aconvictatSydneyCove。’
　　’Andyouhaveservedouttheperiodforwhichyouweresentenced，andarenowreturned？’
　　’Astoservingoutmysentence，’repliedtheman，’Ican’tsaythatIdid；Iwassentencedforfourteenyears，andIwasinSydneyCovelittlemorethanhalfthattime。ThetruthisthatIdidtheGovernmentaservice。Therewasaconspiracyamongstsomeoftheconvictstomurderanddestroy-IoverheardandinformedtheGovernment；mindonething，however，Iwasnotconcernedinit；
　　thosewhogotitupwerenocomradesofmine，butabloodygangofvillains。Well，theGovernment，inconsiderationoftheserviceI
　　haddonethem，remittedtheremainderofmysentence；andsomekindgentlemeninterestedthemselvesaboutme，gavemegoodbooksandgoodadvice，and，beingsatisfiedwithmyconduct，procuredmeemployinanexploringexpedition，bywhichIearnedmoney。Infact，thebeingsenttoSydneywasthebestthingthateverhappenedtomeinallmylife。’
　　’Andyouhavenowreturnedtoyournativecountry。LongingtoseehomebroughtyoufromNewSouthWales。’
　　’Thereyouaremistaken，’saidtheman。’WishtoseeEnglandagainwouldneverhavebroughtmesofar；for，totellyouthetruth，master，Englandwasahardmothertome，asshehasprovedtomany。
　　No，awishtoseeanotherkindofmother-apooroldwoman，whosesonIam-hasbroughtmeback。’
　　’Youhaveamother，then？’saidI。’DoessheresideinLondon？’
　　’SheusedtoliveinLondon，’saidtheman；’butIamafraidsheislongsincedead。’
　　’Howdidshesupportherself？’saidI。
　　’Supportherself!withdifficultyenough；sheusedtokeepasmallstallonLondonBridge，whereshesoldfruit；Iamafraidsheisdead，andthatshediedperhapsinmisery。Shewasapoorsinfulcreature；butIlovedher，andshelovedme。Icameallthewaybackmerelyforthechanceofseeingher。’
　　’Didyoueverwritetoher，’saidI，’orcauseotherstowritetoher？’
　　’Iwrotetohermyself，’saidtheman，’abouttwoyearsago；butI
　　neverreceivedananswer。Ilearnedtowriteverytolerablyoverthere，bytheassistanceofthegoodpeopleIspokeof。Asforreading，IcoulddothatverywellbeforeIwent-mypoormothertaughtmetoread，outofabookthatshewasveryfondof；astrangebookitwas，Iremember。Poordear!-whatIwouldgiveonlytoknowthatsheisalive。’
　　’Lifeisveryuncertain，’saidI。
　　’Thatistrue，’saidtheman，withasigh。
　　’Wearehereonemoment，andgonethenext，’Icontinued。’AsI
　　passedthroughthestreetsofaneighbouringtown，Isawarespectablewomandropdown，andpeoplesaidshewasdead。Whoknowsbutthatshetoohadasoncomingtoseeherfromadistance，atthatverytime？’
　　’Whoknows，indeed？’saidtheman。’Ah，Iamafraidmymotherisdead。Well，God’swillbedone。’
　　’However，’saidI，’Ishouldnotwonderatyourfindingyourmotheralive。’
　　’Youwouldn’t？’saidtheman，lookingatmewistfully。
　　’Ishouldnotwonderatall，’saidI；’indeed，somethingwithinmeseemstotellmeyouwill；Ishouldnotmuchmindbettingfiveshillingstofivepencethatyouwillseeyourmotherwithinaweek。
　　Now，friend，fiveshillingstofivepence-’
　　’Isveryconsiderableodds，’saidtheman，rubbinghishands；’sureyoumusthavegoodreasontohope，whenyouarewillingtogivesuchodds。’
　　’Afterall，’saidI，’itnotunfrequentlyhappensthatthosewholaythelongoddslose。Letushope，however。Whatdoyoumeantodointheeventoffindingyourmotheralive？’
　　’Iscarcelyknow，’saidtheman；’IhavefrequentlythoughtthatifIfoundmymotheraliveIwouldattempttopersuadehertoaccompanymetothecountrywhichIhaveleft-itisabettercountryforaman-thatis，afreeman-toliveinthanthis；
　　however，letmefirstfindmymother-ifIcouldonlyfindmymother-’
　　’Farewell，’saidI，rising。’Goyourway，andGodgowithyou-I
　　willgomine。’’Ihavebutonethingtoaskyou，’saidtheman。
　　’Whatisthat？’Iinquired。’Thatyouwoulddrinkwithmebeforewepart-youhavedonemesomuchgood。’’Howshouldwedrink？’
　　saidI；’weareonthetopofahillwherethereisnothingtodrink。’’Butthereisavillagebelow，’saidtheman；’doletusdrinkbeforewepart。’’Ihavebeenthroughthatvillagealready，’
　　saidI，’andIdonotliketurningback。’’Ah，’saidtheman，sorrowfully，’youwillnotdrinkwithmebecauseItoldyouIwas-
　　’’Youarequitemistaken，’saidI，’Iwouldassoondrinkwithaconvictaswithajudge。Iambynomeanscertainthat，underthesamecircumstances，thejudgewouldbeonewhitbetterthantheconvict。Comealong!Iwillgobacktoobligeyou。Ihaveanoddsixpenceinmypocket，whichIwillchangethatImaydrinkwithyou。’SowewentdownthehilltogethertothevillagethroughwhichIhadalreadypassed，where，findingapublic-house，wedranktogetherintrueEnglishfashion，afterwhichweparted，thesailor-lookingmangoinghiswayandImine。
　　Afterwalkingaboutadozenmiles，Icametoatown，whereIrestedforthenight。ThenextmorningIsetoutagaininthedirectionofthenorth-west。Icontinuedjourneyingforfourdays，mydailyjourneysvaryingfromtwentytotwenty-fivemiles。Duringthistimenothingoccurredtomeworthyofanyespecialnotice。Theweatherwasbrilliant，andIrapidlyimprovedbothinstrengthandspirits。Onthefifthday，abouttwoo’clock，Iarrivedatasmalltown。Feelinghungry，Ienteredadecent-lookinginn-withinakindofbarIsawahuge，fat，landlord-lookingperson，withaverypretty，smartly-dressedmaiden。Addressingmyselftothefatman，’House!’saidI，’house!CanIhavedinner，house？’
　　CHAPTERLXIII