332 FIRING A VOLLEY. 



possesses, brings out the lowest abuse distilled from 

 his lips about a thousand above proof, and he stands 

 confessed the ruffian, the bully, and the blackguard. 

 Now, as the great part of the principals in these sort 

 of advertisements are composed of such fellows, it is 

 no matter of surprise that so many are victimised by 

 them, and that those who are not should not wish to 

 contaminate their name by bringing them to account, 

 and thus they escape. 



Major, on coming, desires one of the horses to be 

 brought to him at Long's, Miller's, Mivart's, or some 

 other hotel that in ordinary cases stamps Aristocracy 

 on its patrons. This further shows he has authority 

 to act. He does not notice the strangers but by a 

 distant bow, and this he makes like a gentleman. On 

 your mentioning your object in coming, his quick eye 

 has scanned you well while he was issuing his orders, 

 and he then regrets his poor friend's state of health, 

 speaks of her horses as all that can be desired in 

 horses ; and if he sees this take, he will tell you you 

 are welcome to see this or that horse or horses at the 

 door. If he does, take it as no compliment, for depend 

 upon it he would not volunteer the thing unless he 

 fancied that he saw a something about you that in- 

 duces him to think you will never electrify the world 

 by your maiden speech in Parliament in short, he 

 does not consider you la huitieme merveille du monde. 



As myself and my reader are now supposed to be 

 the persons looking at these horses, we will not allow 

 that Major did offer to show them out, but that we 

 requested it might be done. So far as I am concerned, 

 I trust that neither my manner nor appearance have 

 induced him to think me quite a rogue or quite a fool. 

 My reader I am sure he considers beyond suspicion ; 



