noon
I continued my journey , passing through one or two villages . The day was exceedingly hot , and the roads dusty . In order to cause my horse as little fatigue as possible , and not to chafe his back , I led him by the bridle , my doing which brought upon me a shower of remarks , jests , and would-be witticisms from the drivers and front outside passengers of sundry stagecoaches , which passed me in one direction or the other . In this way I proceeded till considerably past noon , when I felt myself very fatigued , and my horse appeared no less so ; and it is probable that the lazy and listless manner in which we were moving on tired us both much more effectually than hurrying along at a swift trot would have done , for I have observed that when the energies of the body are not exerted a languor frequently comes over it . At length , arriving at a very large building with an archway , near the entrance of a town , I sat down on what appeared to be a stepping-block , and presently experienced a great depression of spirits . I began to ask myself whither I was going , and what I should do with myself and the horse which I held by the bridle ? It appeared to me that I was alone in the world with the poor animal , who looked for support to me , who knew not how to support myself .