he remember my
wagging my head to him as our chaise whirled by? He was shaking a mat
at the door of his father's shop as my lordship accompanied by my noble
friends passed by.

First stage, Ham Street, "The Bear." A grey horse and a bay to change,
_I_ remember them. Second stage, Ashford. Third stage--I think I am
asleep about the third stage; and no wonder, a poor little wretch who
had been awake half the night before, and no doubt many nights
previous, thinking of this wonderful journey. Fourth stage, Maidstone,
"The Bell." "And here we will stop to dinner, master Shrimp-catcher,"
says the Doctor, and I jump down out of the carriage, nothing {147}
loth. The Doctor followed with his box, of which he never lost sight.

The Doctor liked his ease in his inn, and took his sip of punch so
comfortably, that I, for my part, thought he never would be gone. I
was out in the stables and looking at the horses, and talking to the
ostler who was rubbing his nags down. I dare say I had a peep into the
kitchen, and at the pigeons in the inn-yard, and at all things which
were to be seen at "The Bell," while my two companions were still at
their interminable punch. It was an old-fashioned inn, with a gallery
round the court-yard. Heaven bless us! Falstaff and Bardolph may have
stopped there on the road to Gadshill. I was in the stable looking at
the nags, when Mr Weston comes out of the inn, looks round the court,
opens the door of the postchaise, takes out his pistols, looks at the
priming, and puts them back again. Then we are off again, and time
enough too. It seemed to me many hours since we had arrived at that
creaking old "Bell." And away we go through Addington, Eynesford, by
miles and miles of hop-gardens. I dare say I did not look at the
prospect much, beautiful though it might be, my young eyes being for
ever on the look-out for St Paul's and London.

For a great part of the way Doctor Barnard and his companion had a fine
controversy about their respective religions, for which each was alike
zealous. Nay: it may be the Rector invited Mr Weston to take a place
in his postchaise in order to have this battle, for he never tired of
arguing the question between the two churches. Towards the close of
the day Master Denis Duval fell {148} asleep on Doctor Barnard's
shoulder, and the good-natured clergyman did not disturb him.

I woke up with the sudden stoppage of the carriage. The evening was
falling. We we