A FALSE START 93 



Our travelling means were not very rich : they 

 consisted of a curricle with one horse (his companion 

 having died lately), and a tilbury without any. But 

 the next day there was to be a sale at TattersalFs, 

 which all juveniles delight in ; so away we went to 

 the hammer, rejoicing in our soi disant judgment, 

 and purchased two animals most indubitably of the 

 horse species. My friend accommodated himself 

 with a chestnut, I with a mottled grey ; and it 

 would be difficult to say which of the two had the 

 best bargain. 



Now it chanced that these two nags never had 

 harness on their backs from the time of their 

 foalhood ; but this did not interest us in the least : 

 they had it on soon at all events, all at the door of 

 Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley Square. The chestnut 

 shone as off- horse in the curricle, the grey was 

 resplendent in the tilbury. As for the start, I 

 cannot boast much of that — kicks, plunges, rearings 

 to match. There was evidently some misunder- 

 standing. My fellow-traveller, wheeling round in 

 spite of curb or rein, passed me in an opposite 

 direction. My thoughts were intent on Davies 

 Street : the grey differed with me widely in opinion, 

 and was ambitious of the Square ; round which (if 

 I may use the expression) he galloped with un- 

 necessary haste, till he met my fellow-traveller at 

 the bottom, and we passed each other in grand 

 style, our nags being considerably animated by the 

 lumbering of the wheels. Not once alone did this 

 happen ; and before our coursers could be gained 

 over to our opinion, Charing Cross possessed the 

 curricle, and Hanover Square could boast of the 



