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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 ec- 

 centricity of the movement made me the laughing 

 stock of the assembled mob: ludicrous misfortune, 

 especially on horseback, has always an indescrib- 

 able charm for the million ; good humour is the 

 only remedy in such a case, and I laughed too, 

 though with little zest for the sport. But my dis- 

 tress 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 vexation, 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 his side. 

 I dare not describe the terrific consequence : finis 

 coroJiat opus / ^ ^ =^ # * One fatal scream 

 announced the catastrophe; and Caliban, satis- 

 fied with the mischief he had perpetrated, danced 

 off" in the right direction, to the old tune of '^ the 

 devil take the hindmost /" I turned my head — not 

 to laugh, I solemnly declare — but to take oft' my 

 hat, and apologize. It was, however, past apology ; 

 Avhite handkerchiefs were wiping away the falling 

 tears ! another look would have been death. I 



