172 SOME GENTLEMAN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



I thought I should have fainted ! fainted under the mingled feel- 

 ing of surprise, hope, anticipation, and delight ! " Summut vot is'nt 

 wery soft " in the pocket of Gruel's rhubarb colored coat his official 

 garment his confidential coat ! With great trepidation I withdrew 

 the skirt from beneath Black Harry. 



In so doing I contrived to satisfy myself, that in the pocket there 

 was an oblong substance, rather dense, feeling like a book. Not to 

 excite suspicion, I so far mastered my intense curiosity as to remain 

 motionless Black Harry took the reins and Ralph went behind. 

 The dawn had long since glimmered, but the handsome gas-lamps that 

 flanked one side of the road leading into the town which we were about 

 to enter still cast a yellow flickering light against the long rows 

 of new habitations on each side of the way. "Now, sir," said Black 

 Harry, to the Banker," that 'ere Ralph's not a bad un and seeing 

 as I'm a friend of hiz'n, and he's offended you, by his wery proper 

 impurrence (ax your pardon for saying so ven the lady inside fell 

 so werry frightened about the mouse, &c. and so forth) vy I can't do 

 better nor make it up for him. How ? you'll ax. Vy ant I agoing to 

 tell you ? Many's the rig you has seen, in your time, in course; 

 but I'll shew you a reg'lar out and outer. Consarn my bones if ever 

 I did afore, but twice to please a marquis and vonce, ven I drove 

 the North Highflyer all for to gratify a sporting Countess, vot had 

 rode all night on the box to see life but as you're Ralph's partiklar 

 vy here goes. Notice how I'll tickle a hole in the front pane of 

 this here lamp vith the last knot o' the vip vich mind me, must 

 blow ought the light, though it shant be bigger nor a pea." So say- 

 ing, Harry, by an admirable movement of his wrist (he was a capital 

 whip and flanked a near leader better than any man I ever saw) car- 

 ried the point of his whip plump against the lamp he was passing 

 a beautiful star, having a well defined circular hole for its nucleus, 

 was the consequence ; the breeze, blowing in bang through the aper- 

 ture, instantly extinguished the light, to the Banker's amazement 

 and must I confess it? e'en posited as I was, to my deep admiration. 

 He operated with equal skill on every lamp he passed : our prospect 

 in advance was bright, but we left all in darkness behind us. The 

 watchmen began to awake and raise an alarm the regular extinc- 

 tion of the lamps, one after the other, appalled them. They had 

 perhaps been dreaming of earthquakes or other phenomena, and 

 most vehemently worked at their rattles. Windows were thrown 

 up, and a line of heads, some with nightcaps and some without, ap- 

 peared at the second floor windows. Harry went on triumphantly 

 in his extinguishing cause in spite of the Banker's agonies. " My 

 good fellow," exclaimed the latter, " thank you thank you a thou- 

 sand times ! How very gratified I feel ! Your kind intentions but 

 really, don't let me tresspass that's quite enough." " Oh ! I'll go 

 through the piece now I've begun Yoicks ! Yo over !" " Nay, 

 but I assure you for God's sake desist ! Remember my respecta- 

 bility" " In course, or vy should I exert myself so there she 

 goes !" " You're very kind but all the people know me let me 

 beg of you damn it all! There's Sir Tiffin Mongooz looking out! 

 Sir Tiffin with whom I've business Good God ! Ralph Stop 



