MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 227 



with the dog-cart freighted with clothes, driven by a groom to 

 attend to the horses, while his lordship mounted his galloping grey 

 hack towards noon, and dashed through the country like a comet. 

 The people, who were only accustomed to see him in his short, 

 country-cut hunting-coats, baggy breeches, and shapeless boots, 

 could hardly recognise the frock-coated, fancy-vested, military- 

 trousered swell, as Lord Scamperdale. Even Titus Grabbington, 

 the superintendent of police, declared that he wouldn't have known 

 him but for his hat and specs. The latter, we need hardly say, 

 were the silver ones — the pair that he would not let Jack have 

 when he went to Jawleyford Court. So his lordship went capering 

 and careering along ; avoiding, of course, all the turnpike-gates, 

 of which he had a mortal aversion. 



Jawleyford Court was in full dress to receive him— everything 

 was full fig. Spigot appeared in buckled shorts and black silk 

 stockings ; while vases of evergreens and winter flowers mounted 

 sentiy on passage tables and landing-places. Everything bespoke 

 the elegant presence of the fair. 



To the credit of Dame Fortune let us record that everything 

 went smoothly and well. Even the kitchen fire behaved as it 

 ought. Neither did Lord Scamperdale arrive before he was 

 wanted, a very common custom with people unused to public 

 visiting. He cast up just when he was wanted. His ring of the 

 door-bell acted like the little tinkling-bell at a theatre, sending all 

 parties to their places, for the curtain to rise. 



Spigot and his two footmen answered the summons, while his 

 lordship's groom rushed out of a side-door, with his mouth full of 

 cold meat, to take his hack. 



Having given his flat hat to Spigot, his whip-stick to one foot- 

 man, and his gloves to the other, he proceeded to the family 

 tableau in the drawing-room. 



Though his lordship lived so much by himself he was neither 

 gauche nor stupid when he went into society. Unlike Mr. 

 Spraggon, he had a tremendous determination of words to the 

 mouth, and went best pace with his tongue instead of coughing 

 and hemming, and stammering and stuttering, wishing himself 

 " well out of it," as the saying is. His seclusion only seemed to 

 sharpen his faculties and make him enjoy society more. He 

 gushed forth like a pent-up fountain. He was not a bit afraid of 

 the ladies — rather the contrary ; indeed, he would make love to 

 them all — all that were good-looking, at least, for he always 

 candidly said that he "wouldn't have anything to do with the 

 ugly 'uns." If anything, he was rather too vehement, and talked 

 to the ladies in such an earnest, interested sort of way, as made 

 even bystanders think there was " something in it," whereas, in 

 point of fact, it was mere manner. 



