n
and girls in the kingdom with the rage for mischief, before half the
husbands and fathers could turn their heads about. And, once bit,
there's no cure in nature or art.'

'No horses to this barouche!' cried Captain Bowles.--'Pray, sir, whose
carriage is this?' said the captain to a servant who was standing beside
it.

'My Lady Dashfort, sir, it belongs to,' answered the servant, in rather
a surly English tone; and turning to a boy who was lounging at the
door--'Pat, bid them bring out the horses, for my ladies is in a hurry
to get home.'

Captain Bowles stopped to make his servant alter the girths of his
horse, and to satisfy his curiosity; and the whole party halted. Captain
Bowles beckoned to the landlord of the inn, who was standing at his
door.

'So, Lady Dashfort is here again?--This is her barouche, is not it?'

'Yes, sir, she is--it is.'

'And has she sold her fine horses?'

'Oh no, sir--this is not her carriage at all--she is not here. That is,
she is here, in Ireland; but down in the county of Wicklow, on a visit.
And this is not her own carriage at all;--that is to say, not that which
she has with herself, driving; but only just the cast barouche like, as
she keeps for the lady's maids.'

'For the lady's maids! that is good! that is new, faith! Sir James, do
you hear that?'

'Indeed, then, and it's true, and not a word of a lie!' said the honest
landlord. 'And this minute, we've got a directory of five of them
abigails, sitting within in our house; as fine ladies, as great dashers,
too, every bit as their principals; and kicking up as much dust on the
road, every grain!--Think of them, now! The likes of them, that must
have four horses, and would not stir a foot with one less!--As the
gentleman's gentleman there was telling and boasting to me about now,
when the barouche was ordered for them, there at the lady's house, where
Lady Dashfort is on a visit--they said they would not get in till they'd
get four horses; and their ladies backed them; and so the four horses
was got; and they just drove out here, to see the points of view for
fashion's sake, like their betters; and up with their glasses, like
their ladies; and then out with their watches, and "Isn't it time to
lunch?" So there they have been lunching within on what they brought
with them; for nothing in our house could they touch, of course! They
brought themselves a PICKNICK lunch, with Madeira and Champagne to wash
it down. Why, gentlem