228 THE ADVENTaRES OF A GENTLEMAN 



cessfully, till I arrived at New street, when Caliban 

 was startled by the abrupt and hurried approach of a 

 landau, passing two or three yards before us, directly 

 across our course. He immediately retreated at 

 speed, but with Ms face to tlie enemy ! I spurred, I 

 flogged, I kicked him with all my energy, but in 

 vain ; the more I spurred, the more resolutely he re- 

 trograded ! I endeavored to tijrn him on either side 

 but he caught the check of the bit between his teeth, 

 held down his head, and defied me ! I would have given 

 my ears for a plunge or a rear, for the eccentricity 

 of the movement made me the laughing stock of the 

 assembled mob : ludicrous misfortune, especially on 

 horseback, has always an indescribable charm for the 

 million ; good humor is the only remedy in such a 

 case, and I laughed too, though with little zest for 

 the sport. But my distress approached its climax. 

 Caliban at length planted himself at the carriage 

 door of a drowsky, fixed in the line of carriages, in 

 which were four ladies, heartily enjoying my vexa- 

 tion, if I might judge from a hasty glance at their 

 lovely smiles : but if it was so, Caliban maliciously 

 avenged me. Desperate with shame, and mad with 

 the ridicule of the scene, I fairly buried the rowels in 



