ouse. A sleepless night, a lazy ostler, and a bruised foot
are, after all, not stunning calamities; but there are moments when our
jarred nerves jangle at the slightest touch, and even the most trivial
inconveniences grow to the size of afflictions.

"We began to fear you were lost, sir," said Francois, breaking in upon
my gloomy revery I cannot say how long after. "The horses have been at
the door this half-hour, and all the house searching after you."

I did not deign a reply, but followed him, as he led me by a short path
to the house. Mrs. Keats and Miss Herbert had taken their places
inside the carriage, and, to my ineffable disgust, there was the German
chatting with them at the door, and actually presenting a bouquet the
landlord had just culled for her. Unable to confront the fellow with
that contemptuous indifference which I knew with a little time and
preparation I could summon to my aid, I scaled up to my leathern attic
and let down the blinds.

"Do you mean," said I, through a small slit in my curtain,--"do you mean
to sit smoking there all day? Will you never drive on?" And now, with a
crash of bolts and a jarring of cordage, like what announced the launch
of a small ship, the heavy conveniency lurched, surged, and, after two
or three convulsive bounds, lumbered along, and we started on our day's
journey. As we bumped along, I remembered that I had never wished the
ladies a "good-morning," nor addressed them in any way; so completely
had my selfish preoccupation immersed me in my own annoyances, that I
actually forgot the commonest attentions of every-day life. I was pained
by this rudeness on my part, and waited with impatience for our first
change of horses to repair my omission. Before, however, we had gone a
couple of miles, the little window at my back was opened, and I
heard the old lady's voice, asking if I had ever chanced upon a more
comfortable country inn or with better beds.

"Not bad,--not bad," said I, peevishly. "I had such a mass of letters to
write that I got little sleep. In fact, I scarcely could say I took any
rest."

While the old lady expressed her regretful condolences at this, I saw
that Miss Herbert pinched her lips together as if to avoid a laugh, and
the bitter thought crossed me, "She knows it all!"

"I am easily put out, besides," said I. "That is, at certain times I
am easily irritated, and a vulgar German fellow who supped with us last
night so ruffled my temper that I a