COACHING 



his fast before starting. '* Just fifty-five minutes and 

 thirty-seven seconds," says he, **from the time we 

 left London ! — wonderful travelling, gentlemen, to 

 be sure, but much too fast to be safe. However, 

 thank heaven, we are arrived at a good-looking 

 house ; and now, waiter, I hope you have got 



breakf " Before the last syllable, however, of 



the word could be pronounced, the worthy old 

 gentleman's head struck the back of the coach by 

 a jerk, which he could not account for (the fact 

 was, three of the four fresh horses were bolters), 

 and the waiter, the inn, and indeed Hounslow 

 itself (terraeque urbesque recedunt) disappeared in the 

 twinkling of an eye. Never did such a succession 

 of doors, windows, and window-shutters pass so 

 quickly in his review before — and he hoped they 

 might never do so again. Recovering, however, a 

 little from his surprise — **My dear sir," said he, 

 ** you told me we were to change horses at 

 Hounslow? Surely they are not so inhuman as to 

 drive these poor animals another stage at this un- 

 merciful rate !" "Change horses, sir!'* says the 

 proprietor; **why, we changed them whilst you 

 were putting on your spectacles, and looking at 



21 D 



