th, which he thought
proper to give on occasion of his daughter's marriage to Prince Bulbo;
and let us trust was not sorry in his own heart that his brother's son
had escaped the scaffold.

It was very cold weather, and the snow was on the ground, and
Giglio, who gave his name as simple Mr. Giles, was very glad to get a
comfortable place in the coupe of the diligence, where he sat with the
conductor and another gentleman. At the first stage from Blombodinga,
as they stopped to change horses, there came up to the diligence a very
ordinary, vulgar-looking woman, with a bag under her arm, who asked
for a place. All the inside places were taken, and the young woman was
informed that if she wished to travel, she must go upon the roof; and
the passenger inside with Giglio (a rude person, I should think), put
his head out of the window, and said, 'Nice weather for travelling
outside! I wish you a pleasant journey, my dear.' The poor woman coughed
very much, and Giglio pitied her. 'I will give up my place to her,'
says he, 'rather than she should travel in the cold air with that horrid
cough.' On which the vulgar traveller said, 'YOU'D keep her warm, I am
sure, if it's a MUFF she wants.' On which Giglio pulled his nose, boxed
his ears, hit him in the eye, and gave this vulgar person a warning
never to call him MUFF again.

Then he sprang up gaily on to the roof of the diligence, and made
himself very comfortable in the straw.

The vulgar traveller got down only at the next station, and Giglio took
his place again, and talked to the person next to him. She appeared
to be a most agreeable, well-informed, and entertaining female. They
travelled together till night, and she gave Giglio all sorts of things
out of the bag which she carried, and which indeed seemed to contain the
most wonderful collection of articles. He was thirsty--out there came a
pint bottle of Bass's pale ale, and a silver mug! Hungry--she took out
a cold fowl, some slices of ham, bread, salt, and a most delicious piece
of cold plum-pudding, and a little glass of brandy afterwards.

As they travelled, this plain-looking, queer woman talked to Giglio on
a variety of subjects, in which the poor Prince showed his ignorance as
much as she did her capacity. He owned, with many blushes, how ignorant
he was; on which the lady said, 'My dear Gigl--my good Mr. Giles, you
are a young man, and have plenty of time before you. You have nothing to
do but to improve yoursel