COACHING DAYS AND WAYS 



each side the coach, and one under the foot-board — 

 see to pick up a pin the darkest night of the year." 

 **Very fast?" **Oh no, sir, just keeps time, and 

 that's all." *' That's the coach for me, then," 

 repeats our hero ; ** and I am sure I shall feel at 

 my ease in it. I suppose it is what used to be 

 called the Old Mercury." 



* Unfortunately, the Devonport (commonly called 

 the Quicksilver) mail is half a mile in the hour faster 

 than most in England, and is, indeed, one of the 

 miracles of the road. Let us then picture to our- 

 selves our anti-reformer snugly seated in this mail, 

 on a pitch-dark night in November. It is true she 

 has no luggage on the roof, nor much to incommode 

 her elsewhere ; but she is a mile in the hour faster 

 than the Comet, at least three miles quicker than 

 the Regulator ; and she performs more than half 

 her journey by lamplight. It is needless to say, 

 then, our senior soon finds out his mistake ; but 

 there is no remedy at hand, for it is the dead of 

 the night, and all the inns are shut up. He must 

 proceed, or be left behind in a stable. The climax 

 of his misfortunes then approaches. 



* Nature being exhausted, sleep oomes to his aid, 



40 



