he lights of the town shining like stars;
so that, with the stars above, we seemed to be placed between two
firmaments; but that was all. Everything was wrapped in gloom and
mystery. The train steamed into the station and its few lights only
rendered darkness yet more visible. The passengers stumbled across the
line in a small flock to the point of exit.

We had been strongly recommended to the Hotel d'Europe, as strongly
cautioned against any other; but we found that the omnibus was not at
the station; nor any flys; nothing but the omnibus of a small hotel we
had never heard of, in charge of a conductor, rough, uncivil, and less
than half sober.

This conductor--who was also the driver--declined to take us to any
other hotel than his own; would listen to no argument or reason. Had he
been civil, we might have accepted the situation, but it seemed evident
that an inn employing such a man was to be avoided. Unwilling to be
beaten, we sought the station-master and his advice.

"Why is the omnibus of the Hotel d'Europe not here?" we asked.

"No doubt the hotel is full. It is the moment of the great fair, you
know."

But we did not know. We knew of Leipzig Fair by sad experience, of
Bartholomew Fair by tradition, of the Fair of Novgorod by hearsay; but
of Morlaix Fair we had never heard.

"What is the fair?" we asked, with a sinking heart.

"The great Horse Fair," replied the station-master. "Surely you have
heard of it? No one ever visits Morlaix at the time of the fair unless
he comes to buy or sell horses."

Having come neither to buy nor sell horses, we felt crushed, and hoped
for the deluge. I proposed to re-enter the train and let it take us
whither it would--it mattered not. H.C. calmly suggested suicide.

"What is to be done?" he groaned. "The man refuses to take us to the
Hotel d'Europe. He is not sober; it is useless to argue with him."

"The fair again," laughed the official. "It is responsible for
everything just now, and Bretons are not the most sober people at the
best of times. Still, if you wish to go to the Hotel d'Europe, the man
must take you. There is no other conveyance and he is bound to do so.
But I warn you that it will be full, or the omnibus would have been
here."

Turning to the man, he threatened to report him, gave him his orders,
and said he should inquire on the morrow how they had been carried out.
We struggled into the omnibus, which was already fairly packed with men
who looke