awaking to his daily toil; while here and there,
some rough-coated policeman stood at the corner of a street to be rained
on; except these, no sign of living thing appeared; and I own the whole
aspect was a sad damper to the ardor of that enthusiasm which had often
pictured the great metropolis as some gorgeous fairy-land.

The carriage stopped twice, to set down two of the travellers, in
obscure dingy streets, and then I heard Mr. Lynd-say say, "To the
College;" and on we went through a long labyrinth of narrow lanes and
thoroughfares, which gradually widened out into more spacious streets,
and at length arrived at a great building, whose massive gates slowly
opened to receive, and then solemnly closed after us. We now stood in a
spacious quadrangle, silent and noiseless as a church at midnight.

Mr. Lyndsay hastily descended, and ordering me to carry in some of the
baggage, I followed him into a large scantily furnished room, beyond
which was a bedchamber, of like accommodation. "This is my home, Con,"
said he, with a melancholy attempt at a smile; "and here," said he,
leading me to a small one-windowed room on the opposite side, "here is
yours." A bed, of that humble kind called a stretcher, placed against
one wall, and a large chest for holding coals against the other,
a bottomless chair, and a shoe-brush with very scanty bristles,
constituted the entire furniture.

It was some time after all the luggage was removed before Mr. Lyndsay
could get rid of the postilion; like all poor men in a like predicament,
he had to bargain and reason and remonstrate, submitting to many a
mortification, and enduring many a sore pang, at the pitiless ribaldry
which knows nothing so contemptible as poverty; at last, after various
reflections on the presumption of people who travel and cannot afford
it, on their vanity, self-conceit, And so forth, the fellow departed,
with what my ears assured me was no contemptible share of my poor
master's purse.

I was sitting alone in my den during this scene, not wishing by my
presence to add anything to his mortification; and, now all was still
and noiseless, I waited for some time expecting to be called,--to be
told of some trifling service to execute, or, at least, to be spoken to;
but no, not a sound, not a murmur, was to be heard.

My own thoughts were none of the brightest: the ceaseless rain that
streamed against the little window, and shut out all prospect of what
was without; the col