Page:Man Who Laughs (Estes and Lauriat 1869) v1.djvu/31

Rh his part, the wolf had taught the man what he knew,—to do without a roof, without bread and fire,—and to prefer hunger in the woods to slavery in a palace.

This van, which served both as a dwelling and a vehicle, and which had travelled so many different roads without ever leaving Great Britain, had four wheels, with shafts for the wolf and a cross-bar for the man. The cross-bar came into use when the roads were bad. The van was strong, although it was built of light boards like a dove-cote. In front there was a glass door with a little balcony used for orations, which had something of the character of the platform tempered by the air of a pulpit. At the back there was a panelled door. By lowering three steps, which turned on a hinge below the door, access was gained to the hut, which at night was securely fastened with bolt and lock. Rain and snow had fallen plentifully on it; it had been painted, but in what colour it was difficult to say, changes of season being to vans what changes of reign are to courtiers. In front, outside, was a board,—a kind of frontispiece,—on which the following inscription might once have been deciphered; it was in black letters on a white ground, but by degrees the characters had become confused and blurred:—

The inscription, rubbed and blotted by the rain and by the kindness of Nature, was fortunately illegible, for