THE BRIGHTON ROAD 



[99 



pctcncc rises before his critical ken. " This very 

 day," he writes, " I saw one of the awkward squad 

 keep his coach on her legs by pure accident, in bringing 

 her with a heavy load round the corner by the king's 

 stables ; and as his attitude was rather good I'll en- 

 deavour to describe it. His bench ' [here he proceeds 

 to attain to the irony of Sophocles], " his bench was very 





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The Star, Alfriston. 



low ; and he himself is rather a tall man ; his legs, 

 tucked under him as far as possible, were as wide apart 

 as if he was across one of his wheels ; both hands had 

 hold of the reins which, though perfectly slack, were 

 almost within his teeth ; his whip was stuck beside him 

 (in general however it is hanging down between his 

 wheel horses, about the middle of the footboard), and to 

 complete the picture, his mouth was gaping wide open. 



