STORIES OF DEALERS AND DUPES 249 



to ma parfaite consideration, but I suspect you will 

 not get much consideration for your hundred and 

 fifty. I have the '■' 11 faitt qu^il rapprenne'^ ivesh. 

 in my memory — cJiacun a son tour ! I have not 

 spent so much money about horses without being 

 able to make a broken-winded one fit to be examined 

 by your friend. 



' The "ami^" came; the ^^ valet cfecurie'^ came; the 

 saddle and bridle (such a saddle ! — a kind of "demi- 

 pique " resuscitated), the bridle half red velvet and 

 silver buckles, came — no matter; the money came. 

 Out of kindness to the horse, I desired the French 

 groom not to give him any cold water that day ; 

 those initiated in such matters will know why ; the 

 groom did not. II faut quHl Vapprenne, thinks I. 

 The groom mounted, rode off " en dragon,'' stiff as a 

 poker. Monsieur I'ami walking by his side, and, as I 

 saw. Frenchman-like, stopping ten times in the street 

 to show lebeau cheval to some friend. Tout a Vheure, 

 tout a Vheure, thought I. 



' The next evening the friend waited on me, 

 begging I would go with him to look at the horse. 

 " Volontiers, Monsieur,'' and away we went. I found 

 him, of course, blowing away like a blacksmith's 

 bellows. What was de mattere? vas de hors indis- 

 pose? '' Eh, no7i;" Monsieur says " i7 est poussif; 

 voila tout." '^Poussif, poussifl" cries Monsieur le 



■ . ''Sacre! — do I hear you right? you say de 



hors is what you call broke in de wind — do I hear 



