nt animal, came dashing
along at a furious rate; it stopped close by the curb-stone where I was,
a sudden pull of the reins nearly bringing the spirited animal upon its
haunches. The Jehu who had accomplished this feat was Francis Ardry. A
small beautiful female, with flashing eyes, dressed in the extremity of
fashion, sat beside him.

"Holloa, friend," said Francis Ardry, "whither bound?"

"I do not know," said I; "all I can say, is, that I am about to leave
London."

"And the means?" said Francis Ardry.

"I have them," said I, with a cheerful smile.

"_Qui est celui-ci_?" demanded the small female, impatiently.

"_C'est . . . mon ami le plus intime_; so you were about to leave London
without telling me a word," said Francis Ardry, somewhat angrily.

"I intended to have written to you," said I: "what a splendid mare that
is."

"Is she not?" said Francis Ardry, who was holding in the mare with
difficulty; "she cost a hundred guineas."

"_Qu'est-ce qu'il dit_?" demanded his companion.

"_Il dit que le jument est bien beau_."

"_Allons_, _mon ami_, _il est tard_," said the beauty, with a scornful
toss of her head; "_allons_!"

"_Encore un moment_," said Francis Ardry; "and when shall I see you
again?"

"I scarcely know," I replied: "I never saw a more splendid turn-out."

"_Qu'est-ce qu'il dit_?" said the lady again.

"_Il dit que tout l'equipage est en assez bon gout_."

"_Allons_, _c'est un ours_," said the lady; "_le cheval meme en a peur_,"
added she, as the mare reared up on high.

"Can you find nothing else to admire but the mare and the equipage?" said
Francis Ardry, reproachfully, after he had with some difficulty brought
the mare to order.

Lifting my hand, in which I held my stick, I took off my hat. "How
beautiful!" said I, looking the lady full in the face.

"_Comment_?" said the lady, inquiringly.

"_Il dit que vous etes belle comme un ange_," said Francis Ardry,
emphatically.

"_Mais_, _a la bonne heure! arretez_, _mon ami_," said the lady to
Francis Ardry, who was about to drive off; "_je voudrais bien causer un
moment avec lui_; _arretez_, _il est delicieux_.--_Est-ce bien ainsi que
vous traitez vos amis_?" said she, passionately, as Francis Ardry lifted
up his whip. "_Bon jour_, _Monsieur_, _bon jour_," said she, thrusting
her head from the side and looking back, as Francis Ardry drove off at
the rate of thirteen miles an hour.

CHAPTER LIX

The Milestone--The Me