第 2 节
作者:青涩春天      更新:2021-02-27 03:00      字数:2675
  that both my new acquaintances belonged to the law; and that their
  professional sharpness was likely to prove an overmatch for the surly
  and official tone of the guardians of the vehicle。 The dispute ended
  in the guard assuring the passengers that they should have seats in a
  heavy coach which would pass that spot in less than half…an…hour;
  provided it were not full。 Chance seemed to favour this arrangement;
  for when the expected vehicle; arrived; there were only two places
  occupied in a carriage which professed to carry six。 The two ladies
  who had been disinterred out of the fallen vehicle were readily admitted;
  but positive objections were stated by those previously in
  possession to the admittance of the two lawyers; whose wetted garments
  being much of the nature of well…soaked sponges; there was every
  reason to believe they would refund a considerable part of the water
  they had collected; to the inconvenience of their fellow…passengers。 On
  the other hand; the lawyers rejected a seat on the roof; alleging that
  they had only taken that station for pleasure for one stage; but were
  entitled in all respects to free egress and regress from the interior; to
  which their contract positively referred。 After some altercation; in
  which something was said upon the edict _Naut caupones stabularii;_
  the coach went off; leaving the learned gentlemen to abide by their
  action of damages。
  They immediately applied to me to guide them to the next village
  and the best inn; and from the account I gave them of the Wallace
  Head; declared they were much better pleased to stop there than to go
  forward upon the terms of that impudent scoundrel the guard of the
  Somerset。 All that they now wanted was a lad to carry their
  travelling bags; who was easily procured from an adjoining cottage;
  and they prepared to walk forward; when they found there was
  another passenger in the same deserted situation with themselves。
  This was the elderly and sickly…looking person; who had been precipitated
  into the river along with the two young lawyers。 He; it
  seems; had been too modest to push his own plea against the coachman
  when he saw that of his betters rejected; and now remained
  behind with a look of timid anxiety; plainly intimating that he was
  deficient in those means of recommendation which are necessary passports
  to the hospitality of an inn。
  I ventured to call the attention of the two dashing young blades;
  for such they seemed; to the desolate condition of their fellow…traveller。
  They took the hint with ready good…nature。
  ‘‘O; true; Mr。 Dunover;'' said one of the youngsters; ‘‘you must
  not remain on the pav