on a bitter evening of december, i arrived by mail in a large town, which was then the residence of an intimate friend, one of those gifted youths who cultivate poetry and the belles-lettres, and call themselves students at law. my first business, after supper, was to visit him at the office of his distinguished instructor. as i have said, it was a bitter night, clear starlight, but cold as nova zembla, the shop-windows along the street being frosted, so as almost to hide the lights, while the wheels of coaches thundered equally loud over frozen earth and pavements of stone. there was no snow, either on the ground or the roofs of the houses. the wind blew so violently, that i had but to spread my cloak like a main-sail, and scud along the street at the rate of ten knots, greatly envied by other navigators, who were beating slowly up, with the gale right in their teeth. one of these i capsized, but was gone on the wings of the wind before he could even vociferate an oath.