The Coachmaster 



deal to be done beside the secondary- 

 business of getting from one place to 

 another. P'or example, the down coach, 

 whose passengers had already broken their 

 fast at nine in Sutton, must needs always 

 pull up at the "Tangier" on Banstead 

 Downs, where coachmen and travellers 

 drank a glass of its famous elderberry or 

 other home-made wine, and gossiped a 

 little with the pleasant soul who brought 

 it out to them ; then at Reigate there was 

 a cave to be seen and a light lunch to be 

 partaken of ; and then, who, w^ith any 

 sense of civility, would have sought to 

 evade the rustic hospitality of the little 

 hostelry at Hand Cross, whose host always 

 appeared as the coach drew up, in one 

 hand a gallon bottle of gin, and in the 

 other a wicker basket filled with thin slices 

 of ofino-er-bread ? And was there not the 

 halt for dinner at Staplefield Common, 

 where the celebrated rabbit pies and home- 

 brewed ale of the hostess often induced the 

 passengers and coachman to linger an 

 hour and a half, or even two hours ? And 

 then there was the retailing of London 

 news to the landlords of the wayside 

 hostelries ; and old Mrs. Loveday at the 

 last Turnpike, who must always bring 

 her little nosegay for Mr. Hyde ; and, 

 46 



