stopped the coach, and the guard and the
outside passengers were round the door in a moment. For the first time
in my life I had fainted--so missed the first excited turmoil--but soon
revived to find myself lying on the moor, the centre of a kindly group
of fellow-travellers, who were proffering essences, and brandy, and all
other approved restoratives; while in the background, like distant
thunder, were heard the adjurations of the guard and the coachman, who
were swearing like troopers at the other--or rather at the _male_,
inside passenger. Struggling into a sitting position, I beheld this man,
sobered now by the shock of my alarm, and by the vials of wrath which
were being emptied upon him, standing in a submissive attitude, while
beside him, her cloak thrown back and her poke-bonnet thrust on one
side, was the mysterious 'lady'--now revealed in her true character as a
_performing bear_. It seemed that a showman, desirous of conveying this
animal (which he described as 'quiet as an hangel') with the least
trouble and expense to himself, bethought him of the expedient of
booking places in the coach for himself and the bear, which bore the
name of 'Miss Jenny'; trusting to her wraps and to the darkness to
disguise the creature sufficiently. I will not repeat the language of
the guard and coachman on discovering the trick played; but after
direful threats as to what the showman might 'expect' as the result of
his device, matters were amicably arranged. The owner of the bear made
most abject apologies all round (I fancy giving more than _civil words_
to the coach officials), I interceded for him, and the mail set off at
double speed to make up for lost time. Only, with my knowledge of 'Miss
Jenny's' real identity, I absolutely declined to occupy the interior of
the coach again despite the showman's assertions of his pet's
harmlessness; and the old coachman sympathising with me, I was helped up
to a place by his side on the box, and carefully wrapped up in a huge
military cloak by a young gentleman who occupied the next seat, and who
was, as he told me, an officer rejoining his regiment at York. The
latter part of my journey was far pleasanter than the beginning; the
coachman was full of amusing anecdotes, and the young officer made
himself most agreeable. It transpired, in course of conversation, that
my fellow-traveller was slightly acquainted with Aunt Maria; and this
acquaintanceship induced him to request that he migh