Therewere，sosaidtheCourcyiteswhenawayfromCourcy，excellentshopsintheplace；buttheywerenotthelessaccustomed，whenathomeamongthemselves，tocomplaintoeachotherofthevileextortionwithwhichtheyweretreatedbytheirneighbours。Theironmonger，therefore，thoughheloudlyassertedthathecouldbeatBristolinthequalityofhiswaresinonedirection，andundersellGloucesterinanother，boughthisteaandsugarontheslyinoneofthoselargertowns；andthegrocer，ontheotherhandequallydistrustedthepotsandpansofhomeproduction。Trade，therefore，atCourcy，hadnotthrivensincetherailwayopened：and，indeed，hadanypatientinquirerstoodatthecrossthroughoneentireday，countingcustomerswhoenteredtheneighbouringshops，hemightwellhavewonderedthatanyshopsinCourcycouldbekeptopen。
Andhowchangedhasbeenthebustleofthatoncenoisyinntothepresentdeath-likesilenceofitsgreencourtyard！There，alameostlercrawlsaboutwiththehandsthrustintothecapaciouspocketsofhisjacket，feedingonmemory。Thatwearypairofomnibusjades，andthreesorrypostersareallthatnowgracethosestableswherehorsesusedtobestalledinclosecontiguitybythedozen；wheretwentygrainsapiece，abstractedfromeveryfeedofoatsconsumedduringtheday，wouldhaveaffordedadailyquarttotheluckypilferer。
Come，myfriend，anddiscoursewithme。Letusknowwhatarethyideasoftheinestimablebenefitswhichsciencehasconferredonusinthese，ourlatterdays。Howdostthou，amongothers，appreciaterailwaysandthepowerofsteam，telegraphs，telegrams，andournewexpresses？Butindifferently，yousay。\'TimewasI\'vezeedvifteenpairo\'\'ossesgooutofthis\'ereyardinvour-and-twentyhour；andnowtherebe\'antvifteen，no，notten，invour-and-twentydays！Therewastheduik-notthis\'un；hebe\'antnogude；butthis\'un\'svather-why，whenhe\'dcomedowntheroad，thecattledidbea-going，vourdaysaneend。Here\'dbethetooterandtheyounggen\'lmen，andthegovernessandtheyoungleddies，andthentheservants-they\'dbeal\'aysthegrandestfolkofall——andthentheduikanddoochess——Lordlove\'ee，zur；themoneydidflyinthemdays！Butnow——\'andthefeelingofscornandcontemptwhichthelameostlerwasenabledbyhisnativetalenttothrowintotheword\'now\'，wasquiteaseloquentagainstthepowerofsteamasanythingthathasbeenspokenatdinners，orwritteninpamphletsbythekeenestadmirersoflatter-daylights。
\'Why，lukeatthis\'eretown，\'continuedheofthesieve，\'thegrassbea-growingintheverystreets；——thatcan\'tbenogude。Why，luke\'eehere，zur；Idobea-standingatthis\'eregateway，justthisway，hourarterhour，andmyheyesishopenmostly；——Izeeswho\'sa-comingandwho\'sa-going。Nobody\'sa-comingandnobody\'sa-going；thatcan\'tbenogude。Lukeatthattherehomnibus；why，darnme——\'andnow，inhiseloquenceatthispeculiarpoint，myfriendbecamemoreloudandpowerfulthanever——\'why，darnme，ifmaisterharnsenoughwiththattherebustoputhirononthemosses\'feet，I\'ll-be-blowed！\'Andasheutteredthishypotheticaldenunciationonhimselfhespokeveryslowly，bringingouteverywordasitwereseparately，andloweringhimselfathiskneesateverysound，movingatthesametimehisrighthandupanddown。Whenhehadfinished，hefixedhiseyesupontheground，pointingdownwards，asiftherewastobethesiteofhisdoomifthecursethathehadcalleddownuponhimselfshouldevercometopass；
andthen，waitingnofurtherconverse，hehobbledaway，melancholy，tohisdesertedstables。