f ye both; and so I continued for
some time, though, not to show a craven heart, I pretended to be quite
satisfied; but I see I was altogether mistaken about ye. I thought you
vagrant Gypsy folks and trampers; but now--"
"Vagrant Gypsy folks and trampers," said I; "and what are we but people
of that stamp?"
"Oh," said the postillion, "if you wish to be thought such, I am far too
civil a person to contradict you, especially after your kindness to me,
but--"
"But!" said I; "what do you mean by but? I would have you to know that I
am proud of being a travelling blacksmith; look at these donkey-shoes; I
finished them this day."
The postillion took the shoes and examined them. "So you made these
shoes?" he cried at last.
"To be sure I did; do you doubt it?"
"Not in the least," said the man.
"Ah! ah!" said I, "I thought I should bring you back to your original
opinion. I am, then, a vagrant Gypsy body, a tramper, a wandering
blacksmith."
"Not a blacksmith, whatever else you may be," said the postillion,
laughing.
"Then how do you account for my making those shoes?"
"By your not being a blacksmith," said the postillion; "no blacksmith
would have made shoes in that manner. Besides, what did you mean just
now by saying you had finished these shoes to-day? A real blacksmith
would have flung off three or four sets of donkey-shoes in one morning,
but you, I will be sworn, have been hammering at these for days, and they
do you credit--but why?--because you are no blacksmith; no, friend, your
shoes may do for this young gentlewoman's animal, but I shouldn't like to
have my horses shod by you, unless at a great pinch indeed."
"Then," said I, "for what do you take me?"
"Why, for some runaway young gentleman," said the postillion. "No
offence, I hope?"
"None at all; no one is offended at being taken or mistaken for a young
gentleman, whether runaway or not; but from whence do you suppose I have
run away?"
"Why, from college," said the man: "no offence?"
"None whatever; and what induced me to run away from college?"
"A love affair, I'll be sworn," said the postillion. "You had become
acquainted with this young gentlewoman, so she and you--"
"Mind how you get on, friend," said Belle, in a deep serious tone.
"Pray proceed," said I; "I dare say you mean no offence."
"None in the world," said the postillion; "all I was going to say was,
that you agreed to run away together, you from college
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