sed 'ard, I calls it.
'Ere I takes up a blessed son of a pop-gun what calls hisself anything
you care to mention, and turns out to be a blessed _mounseer_ at the end
of it! 'Ere 'ave I been drivin' of him up and down all day, a-carrying
off of gals, a-shootin' of pistyils, and a-drinkin' of sherry and hale:
and wot does he up and give me but a blank, blank, blanketing blank!"

The fellow's language had become too powerful for reproduction, and I
passed it by.

Meanwhile I observed Rowley fretting visibly at the bit; another moment,
and he would have added a last touch of the ridiculous to our arrival by
coming to his hands with the postillion.

"Rowley!" cried I reprovingly.

Strictly it should have been Gammon; but in the hurry of the moment, my
fault (I can only hope) passed unperceived. At the same time I caught
the eye of the postmaster. He was long and lean, and brown and bilious;
he had the drooping nose of the humorist, and the quick attention of a
man of parts. He read my embarrassment in a glance, stepped instantly
forward, sent the post-boy to the rightabout with half a word, and was
back next moment at my side.

"Dinner in a private room, sir? Very well. John, No. 4! What wine would
you care to mention? Very well, sir. Will you please to order fresh
horses? Not, sir? Very well."

Each of these expressions was accompanied by something in the nature of
a bow, and all were prefaced by something in the nature of a smile,
which I could very well have done without. The man's politeness was from
the teeth outwards; behind and within, I was conscious of a perpetual
scrutiny: the scene at his doorstep, the random confidences of the
post-boy, had not been thrown away on this observer; and it was under a
strong fear of coming trouble that I was shown at last into my private
room. I was in half a mind to have put off the whole business. But the
truth is, now my name had got abroad, my fear of the mail that was
coming, and the handbills it should contain, had waxed inordinately, and
I felt I could never eat a meal in peace till I had severed my
connection with the claret-coloured chaise.

Accordingly, as soon as I had done with dinner, I sent my compliments to
the landlord and requested he should take a glass of wine with me. He
came; we exchanged the necessary civilities, and presently I approached
my business.

"By the bye," said I, "we had a brush down the road to-day. I dare say
you may have heard of it?"