There are Canterbury Pilgrims every Sunday in summer who start from close
to the old Tabard, only they go by the South-Eastern Railway and come
back the same day for five shillings. And, what is more, they are just
the same sort of people. If they do not go to Canterbury they go by the
_Clacton Belle_ to Clacton-on-Sea. There is not a Sunday the whole
summer through but you may find all Chaucer’s pilgrims, man and woman for
man and woman, on board the _Lord of the Isles_ or the _Clacton Belle_.
Why, I have seen the Wife of Bath on the _Lord of the Isles_ myself. She
was eating her luncheon off an _Ally Sloper’s Half-Holiday_, which was
spread out upon her knees. Whether it was I who had had too much beer or
she I cannot tell, God knoweth; and whether or no I was caught up into
Paradise, again I cannot tell; but I certainly did hear unspeakable words
which it is not lawful for a man to utter, and that not above fourteen
years ago but the very last Sunday that ever was. The Wife of Bath heard
them too, but she never turned a hair. Luckily I had my detective camera
with me, so I snapped her there and then. She put her hand up to her
mouth at that very moment and rather spoiled herself, but not much.
[1891.]