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-
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