always will be a-followin' her about, didn't give an angry tap at her
bedroom window, on which Mr. Todd's young man tries to whistle coolly, as
he goes back to his shop much faster than he came from it; and the two
girls run back to their respective places, and shut their street-doors
with surprising softness, each of them poking their heads out of the
front parlour window, a minute afterwards, however, ostensibly with the
view of looking at the mail which just then passes by, but really for the
purpose of catching another glimpse of Mr. Todd's young man, who being
fond of mails, but more of females, takes a short look at the mails, and
a long look at the girls, much to the satisfaction of all parties
concerned.

The mail itself goes on to the coach-office in due course, and the
passengers who are going out by the early coach, stare with astonishment
at the passengers who are coming in by the early coach, who look blue and
dismal, and are evidently under the influence of that odd feeling
produced by travelling, which makes the events of yesterday morning seem
as if they had happened at least six months ago, and induces people to
wonder with considerable gravity whether the friends and relations they
took leave of a fortnight before, have altered much since they have left
them. The coach-office is all alive, and the coaches which are just
going out, are surrounded by the usual crowd of Jews and nondescripts,
who seem to consider, Heaven knows why, that it is quite impossible any
man can mount a coach without requiring at least sixpenny-worth of
oranges, a penknife, a pocket-book, a last year's annual, a pencil-case,
a piece of sponge, and a small series of caricatures.

Half an hour more, and the sun darts his bright rays cheerfully down the
still half-empty streets, and shines with sufficient force to rouse the
dismal laziness of the apprentice, who pauses every other minute from his
task of sweeping out the shop and watering the pavement in front of it,
to tell another apprentice similarly employed, how hot it will be to-day,
or to stand with his right hand shading his eyes, and his left resting on
the broom, gazing at the 'Wonder,' or the 'Tally-ho,' or the 'Nimrod,' or
some other fast coach, till it is out of sight, when he re-enters the
shop, envying the passengers on the outside of the fast coach, and
thinking of the old red brick house 'down in the country,' where he went
to school: the miseries of the milk and