OPPOSITION 199 



for my unseasonable mirth ; and, in answer, I received a 

 gracious smile and a liberal douceur. The hostess was a 

 little discomposed ; but the horsekeeper was the only 

 material sufferer, as he was compelled to part with his 

 pet at a very reduced price — 10s. — the author becoming 

 the purchaser. 



Stage-coach travelling had now approached, and on 

 most roads had reached, perfection. It could not be 

 expected that one solitary specimen should be an excep- 

 tion in the general excellence, or should escape the notice 

 of those who are ever ready, from envy or some other 

 evil motive, to injure their neighbours, without the 

 smallest rational hope of benefiting themselves. 



Such there were on every line of road ; and ours being 

 the only coach below Cambridge which was worked in 

 very superior style, it had long excited the admiration of 

 the admirers of driving, who desired occasionally to in- 

 dulge in the practice of now and then driving a first-rate 

 team. 



Among these was one, a Avealthy yeoman, in a village 

 near Ely, who had been an intimate friend and boon 

 companion of my brother whip, but who latterly had not 

 been on g-ood terms with him. He, with two or three 

 others, became the dupes of artful and designing men, 

 like Monops, and, in conjunction with a fellow of a similar 

 grade, was induced to put on a coach against us. 



It being drawn by a pair only, it did us no harm, and 

 would have died a natural death, had its starters not been 

 assisted by the all-powerful Ann Nelson, who had found 

 means of making her name known on almost every road 

 out of London. It was then, judiciously on their jDarts, 



