tired of talking
by this time, and waited to ask an explanation till the roar of the
car-wheels should be out of her ears. They came to scattered buildings;
then the buildings seemed less scattered; then the train slackened its
wild rate of rushing on, and Matilda could better see what she was
passing. They were in a broad street at last, broader than any street
in Shadywalk. But it was dismal! Was this New York? Matilda had never
seen such forlorn women and children on the sidewalks at home. Nor ever
so much business going on there. Everybody was busy, except one or two
women lounging in a doorway. Carts, and builders, and hurried passers
by; and shops and markets and grocery stores in amazing numbers and
succession. But with a sort of forlornness about them. Matilda thought
she would not like to have to eat the vegetables or the meat she saw
displayed there.

Then came the slow stopping of the cars; and the passengers turned out
into the long shed of the station house. Here Norton left them, to go
and find the carriage; while Matilda lost herself in wonder at the
scene. So many people hurrying off, meeting their friends, hastening by
in groups and pairs, and getting packed into little crowds; such
numbers of coachmen striving for customers at the doors, with their
calls of "Carriage, sir?" "Carriage, ma'am?" pattering like hail. It
was wonderful, and very amusing. If this was only the station house of
the railway, and the coming in of one train, Matilda thought New York
must be a very large place indeed. Presently Norton came back and
beckoned them out, through one of those clusters of clamorous hackney
coachmen, and Matilda found herself bestowed in the most luxurious
equipage she had ever seen in her life. Surely it was like nothing but
the appointments of fairy land, this carriage. Matilda sunk in among
the springs as if they had been an arrangement of feathers; and the
covering of the soft cushions was nothing worse than satin, of dark
crimson hue. Nothing but very handsome dresses could go in such a
carriage, she reflected; she would have to buy an extremely neat pair
of boots to go with the dresses or the carriage either. It was Mrs
Lloyd's carriage; and Mrs. Lloyd was Mrs. Laval's mother.

The carriage was the first thing that took Matilda's attention; but
after that she fell to an eager inspection of the houses and streets
they were passing through. These changed rapidly, she found. The
streets grew broad, t