ABOUT BUYING A HORSE. 83 



something ? Give you a first-rate glass of — um — um — 

 beer.'^ 



If Clumber's idea is that every man has his price, and that 

 Trott's price is beer, he has clearly mistaken his man. 



Perhaps his first notion was a five-pun' note. Then, 

 perhaps, the chance of his being sold himself by a brother 

 in the trade flashed across him, and he substituted in his 

 mind the offer of " a glass of wine," which would be generous, 

 hospitable, friendly, and might, if strong port, obfuscate 

 Trott. Then it clearly occurred to him that, for purposes of 

 obfdscation, beer v/ould do as well, and would save expense. 

 And so, through indecision and stinginess. Clumber has 

 failed. 



The Horse is brought out by Squinting Tom, Avho stands, 

 as usual, at her head, looking about in all directions at 

 once. 



Spoker, in his apron and shirt-sleeves, looks in from next 

 door. He enters cheerily, prepared to feel sure to congratu- 

 late me on my purchase, and, when I've gone, to say to 

 Clumber, " Well, I helped you to sell the horse. You'd never 

 ha' done it vvithout me. How much?'' And then there 

 would, probably, have been a row. 



Spoker's smile subsides when he sees Trott. Spoker 

 looks at Clumber, but Clumber won't acknowledge his pre- 

 sence, which, I see, discourages Spoker considerably. 



Clumber rubs his chin, and eyes Trott's proceedings. So 

 do I. 



For me that is quite a lesson in horse examination ; and, 

 by observing Trott, and asking a few questions, I shall be 



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