( 443 ) 



THE OMNIBUS. 



HAVING finished my business in the city, and wishing to return to 

 the west-end, I stepped into one of those unwieldy vehicles, so convenient 

 for those who have more time than money, and more patience than 

 either videlicet, an Omnibus. The day was intensely hot, and although 

 the numbers that thronged the streets were undiminished, yet they 

 moved sluggishly, and seemed to toil rather than walk along. The 

 omnibus " dragged its slow length along," so tardily as to make it 

 doubtful to a casual observer whether it moved at all, and it was not till 

 he had contemplated each of the spokes as they were successively 

 presented to his view, that he could be at all certain. Having no business 

 immediately to attend to, this gradual progression was to me imma- 

 terial ; so, without troubling the driver to stop, I stepped in. As 1 

 entered, I observed, sitting at the opposite end of the omnibus, a short 

 spare figure, dressed in any way but in unison with the weather. He 

 wore a fur cap, fitting close to the head, with lappets hanging over his 

 ears. A coat, double-breasted waistcoat, and cloth trousers, completed 

 his attire. In his hand he held a large umbrella, and over his arm hung 

 a thick great-coat. He appeared as if he had gone to sleep in the depth 

 of winter, and not having awakened for several months, had dressed 

 himself according to his last ideas on the subject. Several times I thought 

 I observed him bend forward, as if going to address me ; but each time, 

 on turning towards him, he had resumed his previous posture, and was 

 looking certainly every where but at me, though where in particular I 

 could not exactly determine. At length I made one of those common- 

 place but convenient remarks, which, like pioneers, serve to open the 

 way to a conversation. In a short time, I learned that he was going off 

 from the west-end by the coach in which he had booked his place, that 

 same afternoon, at three o'clock. It was then a quarter past two, and 

 we were at the Bank. 



" I don't think, sir," said I, "you will have much time to spare." 



" No," he replied, " I don't think I shall ; I thought so when I got 

 in. But I have still three quarters of an hour, and the distance is only 

 three miles. But then, to be sure, omnibuses go very slow." 



" Yes, sir, they do," said I; " and as the streets, at this hour, are 

 thronged with carriages, there is no certainty as to the time we may be 

 detained. We have been waiting here ten minutes already.'* 



" Ten minutes! have we indeed, sir? I did not think it was so 

 long. Dear me ! my watch, too, is stopped. I thought I would get it 

 mended yesterday; but then I thought I had better let it be till I 

 returned from the country." 



I now perceived that my fellow-passenger was one of those men whose 

 minds are so wavering, that they never resolve to act until the oppor- 

 tunity is past. As I knew that it was quite problematical whether he 

 would get to the coach-office in time, I suggested to him the expediency 



