he destination, in gilt letters on the coach-door, caught
his eye, as he walked from the arbour towards the road, and in a few
moments he was seated as the fourth passenger in the "Nelson Slow and
Sure." From under the shade of his cap, he darted that quick, quiet
glance, which a man who hunts, or is hunted,--in other words, who
observes, or shuns,--soon acquires. At his left hand sat a young woman
in a cloak lined with yellow; she had taken off her bonnet and pinned
it to the roof of the coach, and looked fresh and pretty in a silk
handkerchief, which she had tied round her head, probably to serve as a
nightcap during the drowsy length of the journey. Opposite to her was
a middle-aged man of pale complexion, and a grave, pensive, studious
expression of face; and vis-a-vis to Philip sat an overdressed, showy,
very good-looking man of about two or three and forty. This gentleman
wore auburn whiskers, which met at the chin; a foraging cap, with a
gold tassel; a velvet waistcoat, across which, in various folds, hung a
golden chain, at the end of which dangled an eye-glass, that from time
to time he screwed, as it were, into his right eye; he wore, also, a
blue silk stock, with a frill much crumpled, dirty kid gloves, and over
his lap lay a cloak lined with red silk. As Philip glanced towards this
personage, the latter fixed his glass also at him, with a scrutinising
stare, which drew fire from Philip's dark eyes. The man dropped his
glass, and said in a half provincial, half haw-haw tone, like the stage
exquisite of a minor theatre, "Pawdon me, and split legs!" therewith
stretching himself between Philip's limbs in the approved fashion of
inside passengers. A young man in a white great-coat now came to the
door with a glass of warm sherry and water.

"You must take this--you must now; it will keep the cold out," (the day
was broiling,) said he to the young woman.

"Gracious me!" was the answer, "but I never drink wine of a morning,
James; it will get into my head."

"To oblige me!" said the young man, sentimentally; whereupon the young
lady took the glass, and looking very kindly at her Ganymede, said,
"Your health!" and sipped, and made a wry face--then she looked at the
passengers, tittered, and said, "I can't bear wine!" and so, very slowly
and daintily, sipped up the rest. A silent and expressive squeeze of
the hand, on returning the glass, rewarded the young man, and proved the
salutary effect of his prescription.