of life, this selfishness is covered and
concealed by the veil of politeness prescribed by the forms and usages
of society. This veil is, however, very thin, and it soon disappears
entirely, in the familiar intercourse which is necessarily produced by
the incidents and adventures of a journey. In being daily and hourly
with each other for a long time, people appear just as they really are;
and unless they are really reasonable, considerate, and just towards one
another, they are sure sooner or later to disagree.

But though the bridal party were very much out of humor with each other,
as we have seen, Mr. George and Rollo were entirely free from any such
uneasiness. They both felt very light-hearted and happy. They rambled
about the court yard till they had seen all that there was there to
interest them, and then they went to their own diligence. They opened
the coupe door and looked in.

"Our seats are Nos. 1 and 2," said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George. "One of them is next the window, and the other
is in the middle. You may get in first, and take the seat by the
window."

"No, uncle George," said Rollo, "you had better have the seat by the
window."

"We will take turns for that seat," said Mr. George, "and you shall
begin."

Mr. George arranged it to have Rollo take his turn first, because he
knew very well that, in the beginning of a journey, such a boy as Rollo
was always full of enthusiasm and excitement; and that, consequently, he
would enjoy riding at the window much more at first than at a later
period. So Rollo got in and took his seat, and Mr. George followed him.
In a very few minutes afterwards, the postilions came out with the
horses.

But I have something particular to say about the postilions and the
horses, and I will say it in the next chapter.

CHAPTER II.

THE JOURNEY.

There are a great many curious things to be observed in travelling by
the public conveyances on the continent of Europe. One is the way of
driving the horses. It is a very common thing to have them driven, not
by coachmen, but by postilions. There is a postilion for each pair of
horses, and he sits upon the nigh horse of the pair. Thus he rides and
drives at the same time.

In these cases there is no driver's seat in front of the coach. Or if
there is a seat in front, it is occupied by the passengers. All the
driving is done by the postilions.

The postilions dress in a sort of livery, which is quite gay in it