THE OMNIBUS. 445 



lo'ose in this hot weather. I never see a dog in such weather, but I 

 think of being smothered." 



" I was once bitten by a mad dog," said a melancholy-looking person, 

 sitting in the corner opposite to the traveller. " I have got the mark 

 still ;" and he proceeded to turn up his cuff in order to give us ocular 

 demonstration. 



A general shrinking towards the door followed this intelligence, and 

 several declared it to be ' very hot/ which the drops of perspiration 

 which had suddenly appeared on their foreheads sufficiently attested. 



" But I had the piece cut out directly afterwards," said the Melan- 

 choly Gentleman, on observing the consternation his information had 

 caused. Each resumed his place, although several still looked at him 

 with suspicion. 



During this conversation the traveller had grown extremely uneasy. 

 Every passenger that entered seemed to revive his hopes, while every 

 stoppage of the omnibus (which did not seldom occur) having a contrary 

 effect, kept his mind vibrating like a pair of scales, from side to side, 

 and prevented him having a moment's rest. Comparative ease seemed, 

 however, to be afforded him as we galloped round St. Paul's Church- 

 yard ; but, alas ! it continued only till we reached the top of Ludgate 

 Hill, where the driver, being no doubt a man of taste, very considerately 

 pulled up to enable us to admire the beauty of the Cathedral. 

 " Stupendous structure, sir," observed one of the passengers. 

 " Very, sir," said the Fat Gentleman. " Very grand. Nothing can 

 be finer. Some say it's not so grand as what d'ye call 'em at Rome " 

 "St. Peter's," said Tom, filling up the hiatus in his father's 

 memory. 



"Ah! St. Peter's," continued his father. "But it's impossible, sir. 

 It can't be grander. Why, the hands of the clock are six feet long." 

 Of course, after such proof there could be no further dispute. 

 The traveller's anxiety had prevented him from attending to the con- 

 versation, but his attention was aroused on hearing the word 'clock/ , 

 that anxious sound in which he was so much interested ; and starting, 

 he eagerly inquired the time, adding, that he was going off by the 

 coach at three, and was afraid that he should be too late. Three or 

 four watches were immediately pulled out, while at the same time the 

 owners were telling him the ' exact' time : the exact time being differ- 

 ent in each case. Hope or despair appeared in his countenance accord- 

 ing as each statement receded from or approached to the dreaded hour. 

 Numerous tales, too, were told of hair-breadth 'scapes from being left 

 behind by unrelenting coachmen, whose duty being to take the coach to 

 its destination, leave the passengers to take care of themselves. 



" Unpleasant to be left behind, sir," said the Stout Gentleman. "I 

 was once left behind myself, sir. I was to go off at four o'clock. Had 

 paid for my place. As I was going along the Strand, the clock struck. 

 I ran all the rest of the way. Had not 400 yards to go. Did'nt take 

 two minutes. Coach had gone. I said it must have gone before the 

 time. Clerk denied it, and said if I went to the corner I might see it. 

 Very pleasant suggestion, sir, to see it going without me. Lost my 

 money, sir. Never book my place again." 



At this tale, the traveller's fears grew ungovernable ; and starting up, 



