248 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



' The prayers of the wicked are sometimes heard : 

 I prayed for a chance to return all favours to Monsieur 



le , and it came. I learned that his lady had 



taken a mania for riding en Amazon^ and that her 

 lord and master would give any price for a perfectly 

 broke English horse accustomed to carry a lady. 



' Just before I left England a very beautiful 

 horse, that had been carrying a friend of my wife's, 

 had unfortunately gone broken-winded, so much so as 

 to be useless. I started my groom off for this said 

 horse, and he brought him back in blooming condi- 

 tion, and looking worth as much as any lady's horse 

 could be, and only six years old. I got the daughter 

 of a friend of mine, a girl nine years of age, to ride 

 him about the town, taking care he should be seen 

 by the lady and her good lord. The beauty and 

 docility of the horse in carrying a mere child could 

 not be resisted, so a note arrived filled with apologies 

 for asking if I would sell '' le beau cheval," in which 

 case I was begged to name a price, and to pass my 

 word that he was as docile as he appeared. Mon- 

 sieur would only ask leave for a friend to look at 

 him in the stable, who would bring the " argent 

 comptant." I replied that I ivould sell the horse, 

 that, on my honour, he was " doux comme un 

 agneau," a hundred and fifty napoleons his price, and 

 that Monsieur's friend was quite welcome to see him, 

 assuring Monsieur '^de ma parfaite consideration," 

 &c. &c. Yes, thinks I to myself, you are welcome- 



