Frank Fairlegh
ight of means
ll deed
ilor, let
What masking
this? a
see; thou art
pregnant ene
rse! my kingdo
kspe
, slain a sufficient number of victims to furnish forth pies for the supply of the whole mess during the ensuing fortnight. At length, however, all was said that could be said, even upon this interesting subject, and the narrator, casting his eyes around in search of
at desk yours?"
hich he chose to address me, I did n
u hear me speaking to you?-wher
did no
, I see. Here you, what's your name? Fairlegh, d
er Fanny gave it to me th
Fanny, have you? how old is
face in the world," answered I, earnestly, as the recollec
"it quite makes my heart beat; you
?-how very kind of her," resumed Law
. "I would not have any harm happe
oming red-hot. "Have you ever," continued he, "seen this new way they have of ornamenting t
en heard of
appen to understand the process, I'll condescend to
ding forward to the rescue; "I
nto a chair, where they held me, while Mullins, by their direction, with the aid of sundry neckcloths, braces, etc., tied me hand and foot; Coleman, who attempted to in
that riddle-loving female the Sphinx, as she appeared when dressed in top-boots and a wide-awake, and regaling herself with a choice cigar! He was giving the finishing touch to a large pair of moustaches, with which he had embellished her countenance, and which h
llins, untie Fairlegh; be quick!-confound that desk, how it smells of burning, and
ashion, who lounged into the room with a "quite at home" kind of air, and, nodding familiarl
punctual to a moment-always ready 'to
whispered I
sure'. Not know Smithson, the prince of tailors, the tailor par excel
ious individual mentioned in connection with Waterloo and the Peninsu
quite as great in his way as Wellington, upon my honour. The last pair of trousers he
ng a somewhat voluminous garment from the interior of a blue bag, whi
hit upon it. Now, with this coat on, you might stand under a water-fall wi
remember that the earlier specimens of the race differed very materially in form from those which are in use at the present day. The one we were now inspecting was of a whity-brown colour, and, though it h
to look at the small of his own back, a thing a man is certain to attempt
e the sort of thing
ower of rain, and no mi
yours, and one we made for Augustus Flareaway, Lord Fitz-scamper'
Clayton over to Woodend, in the tandem, to-morrow. The harriers meet there at eleven, and this will be the very th
re; did you see t
n the forehead! a spicy-look
f tin the other day, has just bought it; S
it worth?"
profit out of it; he gave forty pounds for it himself to a man who bred it, only the week before, to my certain knowledge: it's a v
ccomplish, eh? A mount like that is not
wn to every move, I see, as usual. Any orders to-day, ge
side; "I was deucedly unlucky with the balls this morning," continu
, sir," replied
, I suppose?" obs
it with you now," added he, drawing out a leather c
land, carefully replaced the paper he had rece
he has got into good hands to help him to get rid of his money, at all events. I don't believe Snaffles gave forty pounds for that bay horse; he ha
rtain foreign bodies"-i.e., not, as might be imagined, sundry French, German, and Italian corpses, but various hard substances, totally opposed to one's preconceived ideas of the component parts of a feather-bed. Sleep being out of the question on a couch so constituted, I immediately commenced an active search, in the course of which I succeeded in bringing to light two cl
ning, watching the vehicle destined to convey Dr. Mildman to the coach-office, Lawless made his appearan
ke it, what a time he is! I ought
n put his carpet-b
laimed Lawless; "he'll only think I'm going out for a walk rather e
his head, with the air of a man de
ng a carpet-bag and umbrella, and, his attention being attracted by footsteps, he turned his head, and beheld Lawless. As soon as he perceived him he gave a start of surprise, and, pulling out his eye-glass (he was rather short-sighted), gazed long and fixedly after the retreating figure. At length, having apparently satisfied himself as to the identity of the person he was examining, he replac
steam like that since I have been here. He was not half so angry when I put Thomas's hat on the peg where he h
omething," observed I; "I wo
he had seen the sporting togs, but that's impossible; he must have
wing anything about him. Depend upon it, the grand rule of life is to take things coolly, and wait for an opportunity: you have the game in
at instead of being ch
naves and fools-those who cheat, and those who are cheated-and
hould not like to be a fool
lins to such a degree that he remained silent for some mome
true that one must be either a knave or a fool, I'd rather be a fool by far-I'm sure you could never be happy if y
ing young prig," said Cumberland ang
g a lot of tin from a young fellow here, at billiards, and they do say that Cumberland did not play fairly. It was rather unlu
him, and I'm just as well pleased he should not like me. But now, as my foreign relations seem to be rapidly assuming a warlike
heart," rep
vre he repeated with great success during some half hour or so, at the end of which time I began to discover the knack with which it was done, and proceeded to demonstrate the proficiency I was making, by a well-directed blow, which, being delivered with much greater force than I had intended, sent Coleman flying
t such another hit would inevitably knock him into the middle of next week, if not farther, and that he
th ourselves?" asked I; "as this is
of riding?" in
ve been used to it all my life; I have ha
n, I never crossed a horse till I came here, and I'm a regular muff a
I, "if it is not too ex
rses at as cheap a rate as any one, and goo
he room; "Snaffles? Oh yes, he's the man for horse flesh. Are you going t
"what do you say, Fairlegh? Never mind the tin; I daresay
I; "but that must last me all this quart
h a walk any day to see Coleman mount; it took him ten minutes the last time I saw
m! not a true bill
ion naturally turning upon horses and riding, a theme always interesting to me, I was induced to enter into sundry details of my own exploits in that line. We reached the livery stables just as I had concluded a somewhat egotistical relation concerning a h
asked Coleman of a stout red-faced man, attire
ernor was gone to town, so I kept him i
an; "and here's my friend, Mr.
ffles, with a bob of his head towards me, intended as a bow. "What stamp of
with you," interr
es to me, as he crossed over t
ear what you think of him," said Col
land want with th
wes a bill here, and I daresa
at all?" r
u think it was?"
replied; "let'
n equine counterpart of Coleman himself. After having duly praised and patted him I turned to leave the stable, just as Cum
, Mr. Cumberland, you'll remem
inaudible, and Snaffles
, sir; you'll find her rather high-couraged, bu
ider you say you are," said Cumberlan
ry well," replied I. "I suppo
rt.-James," added he, calling to a helper, "sadd
with a good-humoured, honest face, became sudd
ut mare? Ma
you are told," was the answer; a
about fifteen-and-a-half hands high, nearly thorough-bred, and as handsome as a picture; but the restless motion of her eye disclosing the white, the ears laid back at the slightest
," said I, as soon as
at her; but Bess did not choose to "soh," if by "sohing" is meant, as I presume, standing still and behaving prettily; for on her
ut yesterday, but it's all play, pretty cre
fancied from your conversation you were a bold rider, and did not mind
f my attempt at self-control), "I'll ride her. I'm no more afraid than other people; nor do I mind a
er not ride her, th
air, at all hazards. I was always, even as a boy, of a determined, or, as ill-natured people would ca
ve warned you not to ride her if
I, turning away;-"who'll
n whom I had heard addressed as "James,"-adding, in a lower tone, as he buckled them on, "
ter with her? does s
and if she can't do that, she'll bolt with
ncouraging
to you. Ride her I must, my honour is at stake, but I'll be as care
glad enough to see you come back in any oth
ok for Coleman, who had been up to this moment employed in superintending the operation o
ious brute to be sure; even Lawless won't mount he
ng an air of confidence I was very far fr
regarding Mad Bess with a look of horro
egh is his own master, and must
g to do so at all"-a request with which, seeing I was quite determined, he at length unwillingly complied, and having, after one or two failures, suc
u can for a minute, and as soon as I am fairly
thereby avoided a kick with which Mad Bess greeted my approach. I next took up the reins as gently as I could, the men let go her head, and after a little plunging and capering, though much less than I had expected, her ladyship gave up hostilities for the present, and allowed me to ride her quietly up and down the yard. I
s long as you can hold her with the snaffle, but if yo