We took a fly and driver from the principal hotel of Battle, and drove
off for Hastings, about seven miles distant. Hastings is now a famous
watering and sea-bathing place, and seems to be well sheltered from the
winds, though open to the sea, which here stretches off towards France.
We climbed a high and steep hill, terraced round its base with streets of
modern lodging-houses, and crowned on its summit with the ruins of a
castle, the foundation of which was anterior to the Conquest. This
castle has no wall towards the sea, the precipice being too high and
sheer to admit of attack on that side. I have quite exhausted my
descriptive faculty for the present, so shall say nothing of this old
castle, which indeed (the remains being somewhat scanty and scraggling)
is chiefly picturesque and interesting from its bold position on such a
headlong hill.
Clambering down on another side from that of our ascent, we entered
the town of Hastings, which seems entirely modern, and made up of
lodging-houses, shops, hotels, parades, and all such makings up of
watering-places generally. We took a delightful warm bath, washing off
all weariness and naughtiness, and coming out new men. Then we walked to
St. Leonard's,--a part of Hastings, I believe, but a mile or two from the
castle, and there called at the lodgings of two friends of Bennoch.
These were Mr. Martin, the author of Bon Gaultier's ballads, and his
wife, the celebrated actress, Helen Faucett. Mr. Martin is a barrister,
a gentleman whose face and manners suited me at once; a simple, refined,
sincere, not too demonstrative person. His wife, too, I liked; a tall,
dark, fine, and lady-like woman, with the simplest manners, that give no
trouble at all, and so must be perfect. With these two persons I felt
myself, almost in a moment, on friendly terms, and in true accord, and so
I talked, I think, more than I have at any time since coming to London.
We took a pleasant lunch at their house; and then they walked with us to
the railway station, and there they took leave of Bennoch affectionately
and of me hardly less so; for, in truth, we had grown to be almost
friends in this very little while. And as we rattled away, I said to
Bennoch earnestly, "What good people they are!"--and Bennoch smiled, as
if he had known perfectly well that I should think and say so. And thus
we rushed onward to London; and I reached St. James's Place between nine
and ten o'clock, after a very interesting tour, the record of which I
wish I could have kept as we went along, writing each day's history
before another day's adventures began.