potsinthebroadwindowtohidethenakednessoftheland，andinacornerlittleMellows’sperambulator，withevenitsparasol-headturneddespondentlytothewall。Theotherroom，wherepost-horsecompanyusedtowaitwhilerelaysweregettingreadydowntheyard，stillhelditsground，butwasasairlessasIconceiveahearsetobe:insomuchthatMr。Pitt，hanginghighagainstthepartitionwithspotsonhimlikeportwine，thoughitismysterioushowportwineevergotsquirtedupthere，hadgoodreasonforperkinghisnoseandsniffing。Thestopperlesscruetsonthespindle-shankedsideboardwereinamiserablydejectedstate:theanchovysaucehavingturnedbluesomeyearsago，andthecayennepepperwithascoopinitlikeasmallmodelofawoodenleghavingturnedsolid。Theoldfraudulentcandleswhichwerealwaysbeingpaidforandneverused，wereburntoutatlast；buttheirtallstiltsofcandlesticksstilllingered，andstilloutragedthehumanintellectbypretendingtobesilver。ThemouldyoldunreformedBoroughMember，withhisrighthandbuttonedupinthebreastofhiscoat，andhisbackcharacteristicallyturnedonbalesofpetitionsfromhisconstituents，wastheretoo；andthepokerwhichneverhadbeenamongthefire-irons，lestpost-horsecompanyshouldoverstirthefire，wasNOTthere，asofold。
PursuingmyresearchesintheDolphin’sHead，Ifounditsorelyshrunken。WhenJ。Mellowscameintopossession，hehadwalledoffhalfthebar，whichwasnowatobacco-shopwithitsownentranceintheyard-theoncegloriousyardwherethepostboys，whipinhandandalwaysbuttoningtheirwaistcoatsatthelastmoment，usedtocomerunningforthtomountandaway。A’ScientificShoeing-
SmithandVeterinarySurgeon，’hadfurtherencroachedupontheyard；andagrimlysatiricaljobber，whoannouncedhimselfashavingtoLet’Aneatone-horsefly，andaone-horsecart，’hadestablishedhisbusiness，himself，andhisfamily，inapartoftheextensivestables。AnotherpartwasloppedcleanofffromtheDolphin’sHead，andnowcomprisedachapel，awheelwright’s，andaYoungMen’sMutualImprovementandDiscussionSocietyinaloft:
thewholeformingabacklane。Noaudacioushandhadpluckeddownthevanefromthecentralcupolaofthestables，butithadgrownrustyandstuckatN-Nil:whilethescoreortwoofpigeonsthatremainedtruetotheirancestraltraditionsandtheplace，hadcollectedinarowontheroof-ridgeoftheonlyouthouseretainedbytheDolphin，wherealltheinsidepigeonstriedtopushtheoutsidepigeonoff。ThisIacceptedasemblematicalofthestruggleforpostandplaceinrailwaytimes。
Saunteringforthintothetown，bywayofthecoveredandpillaredentrancetotheDolphin’sYard，onceredolentofsoupandstable-
litter，nowredolentofmustydisuse，Ipacedthestreet。Itwasahotday，andthelittlesun-blindsoftheshopswerealldrawndown，andthemoreenterprisingtradesmenhadcausedtheir’Prenticestotricklewateronthepavementappertainingtotheirfrontage。Itlookedasiftheyhadbeensheddingtearsforthestage-coaches，anddryingtheirineffectualpocket-handkerchiefs。
Suchweaknesswouldhavebeenexcusable；forbusinesswas-asonedejectedporkmanwhokeptashopwhichrefusedtoreciprocatethecomplimentbykeepinghim，informedme-’bitterbad。’Mostoftheharness-makersandcorn-dealersweregonethewayofthecoaches，butitwasapleasantrecognitionoftheeternalprocessionofChildrendownthatoldoriginalsteepIncline，theValleyoftheShadow，thatthosetradesmenweremostlysucceededbyvendorsofsweetmeatsandcheaptoys。TheoppositionhousetotheDolphin，oncefamousastheNewWhiteHart，hadlongcollapsed。Inafitofabjectdepression，ithadcastwhitewashonitswindows，andboardedupitsfrontdoor，andreduceditselftoasideentrance；
buteventhathadprovedaworldtoowidefortheLiteraryInstitutionwhichhadbeenitslastphase；fortheInstitutionhadcollapsedtoo，andoftheambitiouslettersofitsinscriptionontheWhiteHart’sfront，allhadfallenoffbutthese:-
suggestiveofLamentablyInsolvent。Astotheneighbouringmarket-place，itseemedtohavewhollyrelinquishedmarketing，tothedealerincrockerywhosepotsandpansstraggledhalfacrossit，andtotheCheapJackwhosatwithfoldedarmsontheshaftsofhiscart，superciliouslygazingaround；hisvelveteenwaistcoat，evidentlyharbouringgravedoubtswhetheritwasworthhiswhiletostayanightinsuchaplace。
ThechurchbellsbegantoringasIleftthisspot，buttheybynomeansimprovedthecase，fortheysaid，inapetulantway，andspeakingwithsomedifficultyintheirirritation，WHAT’S-be-come-
of-THE-coach-ES！’NorwouldtheyIfoundonlisteningevervarytheiremphasis，saveinrespectofgrowingmoresharpandvexed，butinvariablywenton，’WHAT’S-be-come-of-THE-coach-ES！’-alwaysbeginningtheinquirywithanunpoliteabruptness。Perhapsfromtheirelevationtheysawtherailway，anditaggravatedthem。
Cominguponacoachmaker’sworkshop，Ibegantolookaboutmewitharevivedspirit，thinkingthatperchanceImightbeholdtheresomeremainsoftheoldtimesofthetown’sgreatness。Therewasonlyonemanatwork-adryman，grizzled，andfaradvancedinyears，buttallandupright，who，becomingawareofmelookingon，straightenedhisback，pusheduphisspectaclesagainsthisbrown-
papercap，andappearedinclinedtodefyme。TowhomIpacificallysaid:
’Goodday，sir！’
’What？’saidhe。
’Goodday，sir。’
Heseemedtoconsideraboutthat，andnottoagreewithme-’Wasyoualookingforanything？’hethenasked，inapointedmanner。
’Iwaswonderingwhethertherehappenedtobeanyfragmentofanoldstage-coachhere。’
’Isthatall？’
’That’sall。’
’No，thereain’t。’
Itwasnowmyturntosay’Oh！’andIsaidit。Notanotherworddidthedryandgrizzledmansay，butbenttohisworkagain。Inthecoach-makingdays，thecoach-paintershadtriedtheirbrushesonapostbesidehim；andquiteaCalendarofdepartedglorieswastobereaduponit，inblueandyellowandredandgreen，someinchesthick。Presentlyhelookedupagain。
’Youseemtohaveadealoftimeonyourhands，’washisquerulousremark。
Iadmittedthefact。
’Ithinkit’sapityyouwasnotbroughtuptosomething，’saidhe。
IsaidIthoughtsotoo。
Appearingtobeinformedwithanidea，helaiddownhisplaneforitwasaplanehewasatworkwith，pusheduphisspectaclesagain，andcametothedoor。
’Wouldapo-shaydoforyou？’heasked。
’IamnotsurethatIunderstandwhatyoumean。’
’Wouldapo-shay，’saidthecoachmaker，standingclosebeforeme，andfoldinghisarmsinthemannerofacross-examiningcounsel-
’wouldapo-shaymeettheviewsyouhaveexpressed？Yes，orno？’
’Yes。’
’Thenyoukeepstraightalongdowntheretillyouseeone。YOU’LL
seeoneifyougofurenough。’
Withthat，heturnedmebytheshoulderinthedirectionIwastotake，andwentinandresumedhisworkagainstabackgroundofleavesandgrapes。For，althoughhewasasouredmanandadiscontented，hisworkshopwasthatagreeablemixtureoftownandcountry，streetandgarden，whichisoftentobeseeninasmallEnglishtown。
Iwentthewayhehadturnedme，andIcametotheBeer-shopwiththesignofTheFirstandLast，andwasoutofthetownontheoldLondonroad。IcametotheTurnpike，andIfoundit，initssilentway，eloquentrespectingthechangethathadfallenontheroad。
TheTurnpike-housewasallovergrownwithivy；andtheTurnpike-
keeper，unabletogetalivingoutofthetolls，pliedthetradeofacobbler。Notonlythat，buthiswifesoldginger-beer，and，intheverywindowofespialthroughwhichtheToll-takersofoldtimesusedwithawetobeholdthegrandLondoncoachescomingonatagallop，exhibitedforsalelittlebarber’s-polesofsweetstuffinastickylantern。
Thepoliticaleconomyofthemasteroftheturnpikethusexpresseditself。
’Howgoesturnpikebusiness，master？’saidItohim，ashesatinhislittleporch，repairingashoe。
’Itdon’tgoatall，master，’saidhetome。’It’sstopped。’
’That’sbad，’saidI。
’Bad？’herepeated。Andhepointedtooneofhissunburntdustychildrenwhowasclimbingtheturnpike-gate，andsaid，extendinghisopenrighthandinremonstrancewithUniversalNature。’Fiveon’em！’
’ButhowtoimproveTurnpikebusiness？’saidI。
’There’saway，master，’saidhe，withtheairofonewhohadthoughtdeeplyonthesubject。
’Ishouldliketoknowit。’
’Layatolloneverythingascomesthrough；layatollonwalkers。
Layanothertolloneverythingasdon’tcomethrough；layatollonthemasstopsathome。’
’Wouldthelastremedybefair？’
’Fair？Themasstopsathome，couldcomethroughiftheyliked；
couldn’tthey？’
’Saytheycould。’
’Toll’em。Iftheydon’tcomethrough，it’sTHEIRlookout。
Anyways，-Toll’em！’
FindingitwasasimpossibletoarguewiththisfinancialgeniusasifhehadbeenChancelloroftheExchequer，andconsequentlytherightmanintherightplace，Ipassedonmeekly。
Mymindnowbegantomisgivemethatthedisappointedcoach-makerhadsentmeonawild-gooseerrand，andthattherewasnopost-
chaiseinthoseparts。Butcomingwithinviewofcertainallotment-gardensbytheroadside，Iretractedthesuspicion，andconfessedthatIhaddonehimaninjustice。For，thereIsaw，surely，thepoorestsuperannuatedpost-chaiseleftonearth。
Itwasapost-chaisetakenoffitsaxletreeandwheels，andplumpeddownontheclayeysoilamongaraggedgrowthofvegetables。Itwasapost-chaisenotevensetstraightupontheground，buttiltedover，asifithadfallenoutofaballoon。Itwasapost-chaisethathadbeenalongtimeinthosedecayedcircumstances，andagainstwhichscarletbeansweretrained。Itwasapost-chaisepatchedandmendedwitholdtea-trays，orwithscrapsofironthatlookedlikethem，andboardedupastothewindows，buthavingA