THE MAN WITH THE 415 



duced me to a form a higher opinion of him than his garb warranted. 

 My conventional scruples were at once ended, for I saw he was a man 

 of mind ; and, inhaling one more pinch of pungent Portugal, I 

 determined in my own mind that he should be my companion for the 

 journey. At this moment the coach stopped for the purpose of per- 

 mitting an inside passenger, who had arrived at his destination, to 

 alight ; and during the temporary delay so occasioned, two mendi- 

 cants approached, whose appearance alone might have warmed with 

 charity the coldest heart. One was an old man whose silver hair 

 and beard silently spoke in his favour : his cloathes were tattered ; 

 his cheeks sadly furrowed ; and he was totally blind. The other was 

 a girl not more than sixteen, with such a pensive countenance, and 

 such an appealing blue eye that I involuntarily threw her a piece of 

 silver. The captain's feelings were similarly acted upon, but the 

 gentleman in black buttoned up his coat, and subacidly exclaimed, 

 " Young woman, young woman, you ought to know that we are 

 commanded not to eat the bread of idleness. Fie ! Depart to 

 labour I encourage not sloth." 



Never was rebuke more harshly made nor more meekly taken ; 

 the girl courtesied, and placed the old man's powerless arm upon her 

 shoulder, as if to intimate that a continual burden like that could be 

 no idle lot. I am sure that such was her meaning, for though she had 

 been amply relieved, I heard her sob, and saw the big tear swelling 

 from her eye as she turned to lead her tottering parent. God knows, 

 my heart ached for her. I believe that the man in canvas enter- 

 tained similar sentiments ; for in a very subdued tone he exclaimed, 

 te Poor unfortunate girl poor feeble fellow ! Egad, I ought to give 

 them something. Here, coachey ! lend me a couple of shillings till I 

 have an opportunity of getting change, will you ?" 



" Who's that as wants two shillings ?" inquired Jarvey, as he was 

 putting on his gloves, and adjusting his reins previous to mounting. 



" I'll larn," said the guard, coming round to the side whence the 

 voice proceeded any gemman ask for two shillings?" he bawled. 



" Yes, I did," returned my opposite neighbour. 



" Oh !" said the other, " its ' the man with the' " 



" Ah ! then its all right," interrupted the coachman, " hand him 

 over the blunt." 



" The man with the what ?" wondered I. 



" Thankee, thankee," said the borrower ; then casting a furtive 

 glance at him of the sables, he called back the young woman, and 

 gently dropping the money into her hand, added, in a tone of bene- 

 volence " Here, sweeting, here's for food ; and when you raise it 

 to your lips, do so with the "conscious assurance that it is more 

 worthily earned than the bread which cant daily wrings from poverty." 



Again the girl curtsied, but this time a smile accompanied the 

 action, which added wonderfully to her beauty. 



" Come, I think I have managed that very nicely," said the last 

 speaker, " I've relieved that girl without dipping into the odd 

 change which I had reserved for the necessary expenses on the road, 

 and it is more than probable that coachey may forget to ask for repay- 



