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