CHAPTER III
1840–1842
My father wearied again of Bratton, due to the absence of neighbours, except some few with whom he could not sympathize, politically or religiously; and it must be admitted that Bratton was a dreary place for winter residence. Between Bratton and Lew the road—the Via Regia—was one of uphill and down dale, very steep hills, and the way bad in many places, in the bottoms. Accordingly my father resolved on going abroad again, and in October, 1840, we left, crossed to Rotterdam, taking our own carriage with us, and engaging post-horses. At Rotterdam all our plate was detained, to be stamped by the Dutch Government, although it was understood that we were merely passing through the Netherlands on our way to Germany. A fee was exacted for adding a disfiguring stamp, and it was not till two months had elapsed that it was forwarded to us at Cologne.
We remained for some time at Cologne, as the weather was breaking up and winter setting in, so that it was not convenient for travelling.
One drawback to going abroad had been the publication in numbers of Nicholas Nickleby, that was begun in 1839, and, odd as it may seem, I think that really one reason for inducing my father to spend the winter at Cologne was that he might be more certain to obtain the issues of that story as they came out. We were there, as I can quite remember, when we received the instalment with the illustration of Nicholas instructing the four Miss Kenwigses seated on a form with their plaited tails hanging down their backs. No one at the present day can imagine the expectation, the breathless interest, wherewith the monthly numbers of the novels of Dickens were looked forward to and devoured. The style was so new, so humorous, and so full of pathos, and
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