THE BLACKSINHTH 1«7 



Boss saw that a horse that would furnish his own excuse 

 would not only be in great request, but would also be able 

 to go out very often. Accordingly, he threw himself in 

 Blatherington's way as, slipper on foot, Claudius and he 

 re-entered Brighton by luncheon time, having disposed of a 

 shoe about Firle. Boss, of course, knew the horse's infirmity, 

 and finding Brown in the parting mood, they very soon made 

 a deal. Well, Claudius was the most popular horse that ever 

 entered Brighton — like a belle at a ball, he was always 

 engaged three or four deep. His colour was greatly in his 

 favour, for though it is a generally received axiom that a 

 white horse should always be forward, yet as it takes half-a- 

 dozen fields or half-a-dozen fences to settle people properly in 

 their places, a horse that always declined before the rubicon 

 was reached could never be said to be conspicuously behind. 

 Indeed Claudius always looked most promising. When other 

 mad devils were yawning and boring, and rushing and shaking 

 their heads, like terriers with rats in their mouths, Claudius 

 was as cool and collected as possible, taking his fences as 

 though he meant to go on fencing all day. But that was all 

 deception — Claudius was an honest horse, and never dis- 

 appointed his rider ; as sure as he came to the sixth fence, so 

 sure would a shoe be gone or going. Then, with well feigned 

 regret and disgust, the rider would pull up, and after receiving 

 the condolence of the passing field, would cast about in search 

 of a smithy, and slipper on foot would re-enter Brighton by 

 the longest route, so as to display the faultless pink on the 

 faithful white. Then young ladies sitting in bay and balcony 

 windows, bending over novels, or laps full of work, would 

 exclaim — " Oh, dear ! there's that orrid Mr. Spoonbill coming 

 home from hunting;" or — "Oh! I declare here's Captain 

 Green on the white horse, looking so nice." 



Then Mr. Spoonbill having lingered by the way, answering 

 every inquiry any one would have the kindness to put to him 



