l and bonnet, sir," said
the official, in answer to my question, aided by a shilling fee; "the
same as asked where was the station for the Dover Line."

"Yes, yes; that must be she."

"Got into a cab, sir, and drove off straight for the Sou'Eastern."

"She was quite alone?"

"Quite, sir; but she seems used to travelling,--got her traps together
in no time, and was off in a jiffy."

"Stupid dog!" thought I; "with every advantage position and accident
can confer, how little this fellow reads of character! In this poor,
forlorn, heart-weary orphan, he only sees something like a commercial
traveller!"

"Any luggage, sir? Is this yours?" said he, pointing to a woolsack.

"No," said I, haughtily; "my servants have gone forward with my luggage.
I have nothing but a knapsack." And with an air of dignity I flung
it into a hansom, and ordered the driver to set me down at the
South-Eastern. Although using every exertion, the train had just started
when I arrived, and a second time was I obliged to wait some hours at
a station. Resolving to free myself from all the captivations of that
tendency to day-dreaming,--that fatal habit of suffering my fancy to
direct my steps, as though in pursuit of some settled purpose,--I calmly
asked myself whither I was going--and for what? Before I had begun
the examination, I deemed myself a most candid, truth-observing, frank
witness, and now I discovered that I was casuistical and "dodgy" as an
Old Bailey lawyer. I was haughty and indignant at being so catechised.
My conscience, on the shallow pretext of being greatly interested about
me, was simply prying and inquisitive. Conscience is all very well when
one desires to appeal to it, and refer some distinct motive or action to
its appreciation; but it is scarcely fair, and certainly not dignified,
for conscience to go about seeking for little accusations of this kind
or that. What liberty of action is there, besides, to a man who carries
a "detective" with him wherever he goes? And lastly, conscience has the
intolerable habit of obtruding its opinion upon details, and will not
wait to judge by results. Now, when I have won the race, come in first,
amid the enthusiastic cheers of thousands, I don't care to be asked,
however privately, whether I did not practise some little bit of rather
unfair jockeyship. I never could rightly get over my dislike to the
friend who would take this liberty with me; and this is exactly the part
conscience pla