ABOUT BUYING A MORSE. 39 



detested object, who, in this case, is myself, being nearer the 

 table than my Chance Companion. This is a cheerful wel- 

 come on one's return to England ! and so specially friendly 

 in a Hotel. 



" Any Rooms ? " 



The Porter, a very tall man, with weak knees, and only 

 half awake, is uncertain. Growling going on. Perhaps the 

 dog has come in late, and hasn't been able to get a bed, 

 except underneath the table, and he's growling at that and 

 not at us. 



The uncertain young man is a Boots by day, and a Porter 

 by night. Another Boots appears : he is a short Boots. 

 Blucher Boots, and (the tall one) Wellington Boots. Consul- 

 tation between the two heroes. I foresee the result : so does 

 my Chance Companion, who is beginning to regret that he 

 didn't carry out his original intention of patronising the 

 Hotel de Paris. 



Chance Companion stupidly says to Boots, " I'm only here 

 for the night." Of course they wont care what they do with 

 him for only one night. 



The consequence of this is, that we shall be Numbers 269 

 and 266 in the books of the Hotel, and be stowed away 

 among the boxes. 



Happy T/wjight — In order to prevent this, I will tell the 

 Boots, that, if I like the place, I will stop here some weeks, 

 and I remark, how pleasant it was when I was here some 

 time ago. 



1 advance towards them in order to say this and ingratiate 



