principal actor in the scene. She sprang to the window,
and addressing the set of gentlemen who completely filled
the mail, exclaimed, "Gentlemen! can't you make room for
two? Only me and my daughter?" The naïve simplicity
of this request set both the coaches into an uproar of
laughter. It was impossible to doubt that she acted upon
the same principle as the pious Catholic, who addressing
heaven with a prayer for himself alone, added "pour ne pas
fatiguer ta miséricorde." Our laugh, however, never
daunted the old woman, or caused her for a moment to cease
the reiteration of her request, "only for two of us, gentle-
men! can't you find room for two?"

Our situation was really very embarrassing, but not to
laugh was impossible. After it was ascertained that our
own vehicle could not convey us, and that the mail had not
even room for two, we decided upon walking to the next
village, a distance, fortunately, of only two miles, and
awaiting there the repair of the wheel. We immediately set
off, at the brisk pace that six o'clock and a frosty morning
in March were likely to inspire, leaving our old lady and
her pretty daughter considerably in the rear; our hearts
having been rather hardened by the exclusive nature of her
prayer for aid.

When we had again started upon our new wheel, the
driver, to recover the time he had lost, drove rapidly over a
very rough road, in consequence of which, our self-seeking
old lady fell into a perfect agony of terror, and her cries
of "we shall be over! oh, Lord! we shall be over! we must
be over! we shall be over!" lasted to the end of the stage,
which with laughing, walking, and shaking, was a most
fatiguing one.

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