The Journey in Hope
- Right off the bat, we're told that Hetty is on a "long, lonely journey, with sadness in the heart" (36.1). It would be bad enough if she had plenty of money, but she's taking a public coach and counting her shillings.
- To make matters worse, her coachman jokes about "the sweetheart as you've left behind"—never guessing that there really is a sweetheart (36.4). That's got to hurt.
- After reaching Stoniton by carriage, Hetty sets out on foot to find Arthur. To throw everyone off, or something like that. She walks on bravely, always fixing on some tree or gate or projecting bush at the most distant visible point in the road as a goal" (36.13). She gets only a little way before she feels tired. Then it begins to rain. Then Hetty starts to cry.
- But Hetty rallies and finds a kindly wagoner, who agrees to take her part of the way toward Windsor. She rides as far as Leicester, then walks to a place called Stony Stratford, then takes one last coach to Windsor. This would all be way cooler if we could illustrate it with a big map of England and some swooping arrows.
- Hetty stumbles into a Windsor tavern called the Green Man. The landlord and landlady of this fine establishment realize that Hetty is "not very fit for traveling," and try to figure out what she's up to (36.26). Hetty, pretty much at the end of her wits, tells them she's looking for Arthur Donnithorne.
- Well, the landlady and landlord know a thing or two about the Captain. Arthur and the militia he was supervising have been long gone. Hetty hears this, and faints right in the Green Man. And that's it for Chapter 36. And for Hetty, until the landlord and landlady manage to bring her around.