e sighed heavily.
Leaning against the railing in a studied attitude, and eying wistfully
each gay and fashionable equipage, with its often lovely, and sometimes
haughty enclosure, as it rolled slowly past him, Mr. Titmouse became
more and more convinced of a great practical truth, viz. that the only
real distinction between mankind was that effected by money. Want of
money alone had placed him in his present abject position. Abject
indeed! By the great folk, who were passing him on all sides, he felt,
well-dressed as he believed himself to be, that he was no more noticed
than as if he had been an ant, a blue-bottle fly, or a black beetle! He
looked, and sighed--sighed, and looked--looked, and sighed again, in a
kind of agony of vain longing. While his only day in the week for
breathing fresh air, and appearing like a gentleman in the world, was
rapidly drawing to a close, and he was beginning to think of returning
to the dog-hole he had crawled out of in the morning, and to the shop
for the rest of the week; the great, and gay, and happy folk he was
looking at, were thinking of driving home to dress for their grand
dinners, and to lay out every kind of fine amusement for the ensuing
week: and that, moreover, was the sort of life they led every day in
the week! He heaved a profound sigh. At that moment a superb cab, with a
gentleman in it dressed in great elegance, and with very keen dark eyes,
and striking nose and whiskers, came up with a cab of still more
exquisite structure and appointments, and at which Titmouse gazed with
unutterable feelings of envy--in which sat a young man, evidently of
consequence; very handsome, with splendid mustaches; perfectly
well-dressed; holding the reins and whip gracefully in hands glistening
in straw-colored kid gloves--and between the two gentlemen ensued the
following low-toned colloquy, which it were to be wished that every such
sighing simpleton (as Titmouse must, I fear, by this time appear to the
reader) could have overheard.

"Ah, Fitz!" said the former-mentioned gentleman to the latter, who
suddenly reddened when he perceived who had addressed him. The manner of
the speaker was execrably familiar and presumptuous--but how could the
embarrassed _swell_ help himself?--"When did you return to town?"

"Last night only"----

"Enjoyed yourself, I hope?"

"Pretty well--but--I--suppose you"----

"Sorry for it," interrupted the first speaker in a lower tone,
perceiving the vexati