CHAPTER XVII. 



THE MEMORABLE TRIAL OF JARVLS'S COB INTERRUPTED 

 BY SOMETHING ABOUT GLOPPIN'S GRANDMOTHER. 



LOPPIN, "who knows all about it," ("it" 

 meaning The Horse generally,) can't come 

 when he's wanted, of course. 



If you do require a friend's advice, depend 

 on it that you caiit depend on it : or, rather, that you can't 

 calculate upon getting it at the important moment. 



Then he, Gloppin, I mean — / know him — will come to me 

 weeks afterwards, and say, " My dear fellow, I am so sorry I 

 couldn't come over to you on that day. I'd ha' given some- 

 thing to ha' seen that mare you bought. I could ha' told 

 you at once she wouldn't suit you." And so on. 



He will — anyone will — volunteer information as to what I 

 do want. But what I dont want, and what I oughtn't to buy 

 on any account, not a word about that. 



When I see Gloppin again, I'll be bitter with him. I'll 

 have something cutting to say to him. The worst of it is 

 that, if I don't come across him for two months, I shall, 

 perhaps, have forgotten all about it — shall embrace him 

 heartily, and say, " Hallo, Gloppin ! I am so pleased to see 

 you ! " — when I really ought to take his hand quietly, and 



