ABOUT BUYING A HORSE. 91 



defined line over a difficulty (the bridge), and then brings 

 you to the point, and then an end, artistically. 



" Hallo ! " he says, cheerily, " You don't recollect me." 



" I smile on him. I ought to recollect him. I do recollect. 

 No, I do7i!t recollect him. And yet that nose. 



" My name's Pullinger," he says. 



The three ladies in the carriage and the two equestrians 

 are much interested. I feel that all eyes are on me to see 

 what I make of Pullinger. 



It flashes across me suddenly, " Supposing I won't call to 

 mind a trace of Pullinger, and reply, sternly, ' No, Sir, I do 

 not remember you,' what would be the result ? Would they 

 turn him out of the carriage? Would they give him up 

 there and then as an imposter, whose social existence had to 

 this moment simply depended upon my recognising him as 

 Pullinger ?" 



But I do remember him now. I recall his features 

 gradually, beginning with the feature, and I say, " Why, so 

 it is ! Pullinger of course. I was sure I knew your face." I 

 mean nose, but I don't say so. 



I go on, " You've altered so much since I last saw you." 

 If I put this as it really occurs to me at the moment, I 

 should say, " Your nose has grown so tremendously I should 

 hardly have known you again ." 



Won't he come in, and his friends in the carriage, and his 

 friends on horses ? They look at one another dubiously, as 

 if there were something to pay for admission. 



They seem to settle it, tacitly, among themselves, with a 

 sort of rather patronising air, as if implying, "Well, you know, 



