HOW THE COACH PASSENGERS EARED 335 



" So saying, lie fixed his eyes upon me, and 

 asked if I had seen him tremble. I answered, 

 without hesitation, ' Yes.' 



'"Damme, sir,' said he, 'd'ye doubt my 

 courage ? ' 



" I replied, ' Very much.' 



"This declaration quite disconcerted him; he 

 looked blank, and pronounced in a faltering 

 voice, 'Oh! 'tis very well! I shall find a time.' 



" I signified my contempt for him by thrust- 

 ing my tongue into my cheek, which humbled 

 him so much that he scarce swore another 

 oath aloud during the whole journey." 



These soldiers, or pretended soldiers — for it 

 would not be fair to those who warred under 

 Marlborough to assume that such cowardly 

 ruffians were genuine military men — were found 

 hectoring in every coach in those picturesque 

 times, threatening to run everyone through the 

 vitals, and rarely, it is to be. feared, meeting 

 with those modest and self-possessed young 

 demigods who wore all the lackadaisical airs of 

 an Apollo superimposed upon the l^rawn and 

 biceps of a Hercules, and with those biceps 

 always at the service of the ladies at precisely 

 the psychological moment. 



Ladies, strange to say, seem at a very early 

 date to have travelled unaccompanied by friends 

 or relatives. The way was long, the discomforts 

 great, and so the politeness and attentions shown 

 them were proj^ortionately increased. Thoresby, 

 Avho in 1711 travelled to London by the York 



