354 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



buying a horse, price will not stop me ; and if I should bid for 

 a woman, the chances are in my favour, I think; eh, Bayntun?" 



" Oh, of course, we all know that your rent-roll is as long as 

 this room ; but you would not marry a girl without any fortune 

 at all, would you ? " 



u That would make no difference to me, if, in all other re- 

 spects, she comes up to my standard." 



" Oh, very well ; then I conclude the heiress may be had 

 now for asking, as Mangle tells me old Harcourt is in a proper 

 funk about refunding all the money he has received." 



This l .^ £Jece of information suggested an idea to the mar- 

 quis, w r his hat, wished Lord Henry good morning. 

 With ali aiement of manners and agreeable conversation, 

 Lord Ayrshire possessed a proud, haughty temper, and he could 

 ill endure being foiled in anything he undertook, or being out- 

 done or outbid by any other man. If he had set his mind on 

 purchasing a horse at Tattersall's, every one was aware, who knew 

 him, that it was mere waste of time to bid against him. Yet he 

 was, from this peculiarity of temper, most wofully imposed upon, 

 and horses were run up to three or four times their value by 

 some of the knowing ones, just, as Lord Henry said, " to make 

 him open his mouth." There was a manifest impatience in his 

 mode of advancing against any other competitor, which at once 

 betrayed this impatience of temper, as if no other man had a 

 right to make an offer for the animal on which the Marquis of 

 Ayrshire had once set his affections. One day, a remarkably 

 fine, well-bred brougham horse was brought to the hammer, 

 which immediately catching his lordship's eye, he inquired his 

 age. 



" Six years old, my lord," replied Mr. Tattersall ; " high 

 stepper — nearly thorough-bred ; what shall I say, my lord ? a 

 hundred ? thank you, my lord ; trot him down ; take care, 

 gentlemen. One hundred guineas are offered for that splendid 

 animal — and ten — thank you, sir ; a hundred and ten guineas. 



" Make it fefty* at once, gentlemen." 



" Thank you, my lord — one hundred and fefty guineas are 

 Md ; will any gentleman advance on that sum 1 " 



" Twenty" from a voice near. 



" One hundred and seventy are offered — going at that figure." 



"•Two hundred," exclaimed Lord Ayrshire. 



" Thank you, my lord. Two hundred guineas are bid — 



* The old Mr. Tattersall always pronounced it so. 



