There they stood, like bees around a hive, clustering and buzzing, and all so engaged that with difficulty could I get an answer to my question of, What diligence it was?
'La diligence pour Paris, Monsieur.' "'Ah, all right then,' said I; so watching an opportunity to do so unobserved, for I supposed they might have laughed at me, I stepped quietly into the coupe; and amid the creaking of cordage, and the thumping of feet on the roof, fell as sound asleep as ever I did in my life--these sounds coming to my muffled ears, soft as the echoes on the Rhine.

When it was that I awoke I cannot say; but as I rubbed my eyes and yawned after a most refreshing sleep, I perceived that it was still quite dark all around, and that the diligence was standing before the door of some inn and not moving.

Ah, thought I, this is the first stage; how naturally one always wakes at the change of horses,--a kind of instinct implanted by Providence, I suppose, to direct us to a little refreshment on the road.

With these pious feelings I let down the glass, and called out to the garcon for a glass of brandy and a cigar.

While he was bringing them, I had time to look about, and perceived, to my very great delight, that I had the whole coupe to myself.