o the passage, and I pull the bell's rope to demand why so
great tapage? The waiter tell me, and he laugh at same time, but very
civil no less, "Oh, sir, it is only two of the women what quarrel, and
one has given another a _box_ on the ear."
Well--I go back on the coach-box, but I look, as I pass, at all the women
ear, for the _box_; but not none I see. "Well," I tell myself once more,
"never mind, we shall see;" and we drive on very passable and agreeable
times till we approached ourselves near London; but then come one another
coach of the opposition to pass by, and the coachman say, "No, my boy, it
shan't do!" and then he whip his horses, and made some traverse upon the
road, and tell to me, all the times, a long explication what the other
coachman have done otherwhiles, and finish not till we stop, and the
coach of opposition come behind him in one narrow place. Well--then he
twist himself round, and, with full voice, cry himself out at the another
man, who was so angry as himself, "I'll tell you what, my hearty! If you
comes some more of your gammon at me, I shan't stand, and you shall
yourself find in the wrong _box_." It was not for many weeks after as I
find out the wrong _box_ meaning.
Well--we get at London, at the coaches office, and I unlightened from my
seat, and go at the bureau for pay my passage, and gentleman very
politely demanded if I had some friend at London. I converse with him
very little time in voyaging, because he was in the interior; but I
perceive he is real gentleman. So, I say, "No, sir, I am stranger." Then
he very honestly recommend me at an hotel, very proper, and tell me,
"Sir, because I have some affairs at the Banque, I must sleep in the city
this night; but to-morrow I shall come at the hotel, where you shall find
some good attentions if you make the use of my name." "Very well," I tell
myself, "this is best." So we exchange the cards, and I have hackney
coach to come at my hotel, where they say, "No room, sir,--very
sorry,--no room." But I demand to stop the moment, and produce the card
what I could not read before, in the movements of the coach with the
darkness. The master of the hotel take it from my hand, and become very
polite at the instant, and whisper at the ear of some waiters, and these
come at me, and say, "Oh yes, sir. I know Mr. _Box_ very well. Worthy
gentleman, Mr. Box.--Very proud to incommode any friend of Mr. Box--pray
inlight yourself, and walk in my house." So
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