A DRiUlATIC HORSEMAN. 7 



a part of him. " Knyvet," cried Duruset, " can you 

 see what I've got under me, that stops my coming 

 down stairs ? " " Oh yes," cried Knyvet, " I can see ; 

 you're there for life, my dear fellow, if they don't 

 send for a saw." On this Knyvet began singing all 

 sorts of things at Duruset, that he thought bore on 

 his position ; while Duruset expostulated with him, 

 and told him " it would be much more gentleman- 

 like, as well as friendly, in him to reserve his un- 

 timely mirth for a less serious occasion." Having 

 split my sides, or nearly so, with laughing, I came 

 up and directed Duruset where to put his foot, and 

 with a deal of difficulty he descended in safety. 



I took Duruset out hunting once when we turned 

 out a stag, on a quiet horse, out of whose sides I 

 told him to keep his heels, and that he had better 

 not wear spurs. However, Duruset would dress the 

 part ; and he was ready for the chase in white cords, 

 in which he told me he afterwards played " Young 

 Meadows;" and whipped and spurred he was too. 

 The hounds were laid on, but had not settled to the 

 scent, when Duruset went by me like a shot : he cast 

 a funny look at me ; it was one of triumph, as well 

 as of an uncertainty bordering on despair, as he 

 vanished round the corner of an enclosure on Har- 

 lington Common. The next thing I saw was the 

 horse without a rider ; so approaching to where 

 Duruset had last been seen, I found him sitting on 

 a hillock, brushing off the dirt ; when he told me it 

 was very unkind of me to mount him on the wild 

 horse of Mazeppa, for the brute had run away with 

 him. Seeing he was all safe, I rejoined the hounds. 



At a very early age my brother Moreton and 



B 4 



