looking into the street,--the one belonging to the commercial
parlour, and the other to the so-called coffee-room. But the
coffee-room has in truth fallen away from its former purposes, and
is now used for a farmer's ordinary on market days, and other
similar purposes. Travellers who require the use of a public
sitting-room must all congregate in the commercial parlour at the
Bush. So far the interior of the house has fallen from its past
greatness. But the exterior is maintained with much care. The
brickwork up to the eaves is well pointed, fresh, and comfortable
to look at. In front of the carriage-way swings on two massive
supports the old sign of the Bush, as to which it may be doubted
whether even Mr. Runciman himself knows that it has swung there, or
been displayed in some fashion, since it was the custom for the
landlord to beat up wine to freshen it before it was given to the
customers to drink. The church, too, is of brick--though the tower
and chancel are of stone. The attorney's house is of brick, which
shall not be more particularly described now as many of the scenes
which these pages will have to describe were acted there; and
almost the entire High Street in the centre of the town was brick
also.

But the most remarkable house in Dillsborough was one standing in a
short thoroughfare called Hobbs Gate, leading down by the side of
the Bush Inn from the market-place to Church Square, as it is
called. As you pass down towards the church this house is on the
right hand, and it occupies with its garden the whole space between
the market-place and Church Square. But though the house enjoys the
privilege of a large garden,--so large that the land being in the
middle of a town would be of great value were it not that
Dillsborough is in its decadence,--still it stands flush up to the