, when, upon the loneliest part of the
road, my carriage, which had borne me without an accident from Rome to
London, broke down. The postilions said there was a small inn about a
mile from the spot; thither I repaired: a blacksmith was sent for, and
I found the accident to the carriage would require several hours to
repair. No solitary chaise did the inn afford; but the landlord, who was
a freeholder and a huntsman, boasted one valuable and swift horse, which
he declared was fit for an emperor or a highwayman. I was too impatient
of delay not to grasp at this intelligence. I gave mine host whatever he
demanded for the loan of his steed, transferred my pistols to an immense
pair of holsters, which adorned a high demi-pique saddle, wherewith
he obliged me, and, within an hour from the date of the accident,
recommenced my journey.

The evening closed, as I became aware of the presence of a
fellow-traveller. He was, like myself, on horseback. He wore a short,
dark gray cloak, a long wig of a raven hue, and a large hat, which,
flapping over his face, conspired, with the increasing darkness, to
allow me a very imperfect survey of his features. Twice or thrice he had
passed me, and always with some salutation, indicative of a desire for
further acquaintance; but my mood is not naturally too much inclined to
miscellaneous society, and I was at that time peculiarly covetous of
my own companionship. I had, therefore, given but a brief answer to
the horseman's courtesy, and had ridden away from him with a very
unceremonious abruptness. At length, when he had come up to me for the
fourth time, and for the fourth time had accosted me, my ear caught
something in the tones of his voice which did not seem to me wholly
unfamiliar. I regarded him with more attention than I had as yet done,
and replied to him more civilly and at length. Apparently encouraged by
this relaxation from my reserve, the man speedily resumed.

"Your horse, Sir," said he, "is a fine animal, but he seems jaded: you
have ridden far to-day, I'll venture to guess."

"I have, Sir; but the town where I shall pass the night is not above
four miles distant, I believe."

"Hum--ha!--you sleep at D-----, then?" said the horseman, inquisitively.

A suspicion came across me; we were then entering a very lonely road,
and one notoriously infested with highwaymen. My fellow equestrian's
company might have some sinister meaning in it. I looked to my holsters,
and leisurely