

1 DULCIBELLA' BOUGHT. 337 



take less, finding him not very eager to make the 

 purchase and give her in exchange, I closed with him, 

 selling Promised Land for £2,500 nominally, but 

 actually for £2,100 and Dulcibella, which his lordship 

 had priced, as I have said, at £400. But I had also 

 the contingency that if the horse won either the Ascot 

 or Goodwood Cups I was to have £500 more; sub- 

 sequently, by his lordship's request, modified by my 

 accepting half the sum absolutely, making the actual 

 price given me for the horse £2,350, with Dulcibella 

 thrown in as a gift. 



I have had enough to do with all sorts and con- 

 ditions of men to know how forgetful they are in 

 business matters of this sort, and that, in them, none 

 are so likely to make a mistake as gentlemen ; often 

 to the injury and the annoyance of both parties to 

 the contract, yet without the remotest intention of 

 causing a dispute, but simply because they pay no 

 attention to the matter. On this occasion I asked 

 Lord William to come into Messrs. Tattersall's office, 

 when a note was made in writing, signed by his 

 lordship, and witnessed by Mr. TattersalL I felt I 

 had done the right thing this time, although for the 

 little ceremony of attestation I had to pay a com- 

 mission of £125, which I gladly did, knowing it to 

 be customary, and regarding it as insurance money. 

 I returned home, took the horse the next day to 

 Epsom, and delivered him to the trainer, Sam Rogers; 

 arranged with Messrs. Weatherby to witness a verbal 



22 



