“Dear me!” I exclaimed. “Am I supposed to ride in an omnibus? I can’t bear omnibuses.”
Mr Hammond was inclined to stammer.
“It’s—it’s—it’s a private omnibus.”
“Is it? How interesting. Am I intended to consider that fact interesting? Was I expected to take it for granted that I should be required to ride in a public omnibus, among the penny fares?”
Mr Hammond was inclined to stammer still more.
“Fact is, six rather awkward number—never heard of a carriage that would hold them all.”
“Two might have gone on the box, or even three. Then there is such a thing as a coach. A coach holds six.”
“Coach and four?”
“Or even a coach and three, if four was considered extravagant.”
“Idea of coaching to dinner in town never struck me. Don’t know why. Sporting notion—very. Afraid it would take some time to get one now.”