the road, and rattling covertly among the dry brambles on
either hand, it seemed like some great phantom for whom
the way was narrow, whose garments rustled as it stalked
along. By degrees it lulled and died away; and then it
came on to snow.

The flakes fell fast and thick, soon covering the ground
some inches deep, and spreading abroad a solemn stillness.
The rolling wheels were noiseless; and the sharp ring and
clatter of the horses' hoofs, became a dull, muffled tramp.
The life of their progress seemed to be slowly hushed, and
something death-like to usurp its place.

Shading his eyes from the falling snow, which froze upon
their lashes and obscured his sight, Kit often tried to catch
the earliest glimpse of twinkling lights denoting their ap-
proach to some not distant town. He could descry objects
enough at such times, but none correctly. Now a tall
church-spire appeared in view, which presently became a
tree, a barn, a shadow on the ground, thrown on it by
their own bright lamps. Now there were horsemen, foot-
passengers, carriages, going on before, or meeting them
in narrow ways; which, when they were close upon them,
turned to shadows too. A wall, a ruin, a sturdy gable-end
would rise up in the road; and when they were plunging
headlong at it, would be the road itself. Strange turnings
too, bridges, and sheets of water, appeared to start up here
and there, making the way doubtful and uncertain; and yet
they were on the same bare road, and these things, like the
others, as they were passed, turned into dim illusions.

He descended slowly from his seat--for his limbs were
numbed--when they arrived at a lone posting-house, and
inquired how far they had to go to reach their journey's
end. It was a late hour in such by-places, and the people
were abed; but a voice answered from an upper window,
Ten miles. The ten minutes that ensued appeared an
hour; but at the end of that time, a shivering figure led
out the horses they required, and after another brief delay
they were again in motion.

It was a cross-country road, full, after the first three or
four miles, of holes and cart-ruts, which, being covered by
the snow, were so many pitfalls to the trembling horses,
and obliged them to keep a footpace. As it was next to
impossible for men so much agitated as they were by this
time, to sit still and move so slowly, all three got out and
plodded on behind the carriage. The distance seemed inter-

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