n a
speechless ecstasy. As he confessed to me later, "It was either hold my
tongue, sir, or call for three cheers." He snatched my valise and
ushered us through the crowd, to our hotel-breakfast. And, it seemed, he
must have filled up his time at Dover with trumpetings of our
importance: for the landlord welcomed us on the _perron_, obsequiously
cringing; we entered in a respectful hush that might have flattered his
Grace of Wellington himself; and the waiters, I believe, would have gone
on all-fours, but for the difficulty of reconciling that posture with
efficient service. I knew myself at last for a Personage: a great
English land-owner: and did my best to command the mien proper to that
tremendous class when, the meal despatched, we passed out between the
bowing ranks to the door where our chaise stood ready.

"But hullo!" said I at sight of it; and my eye sought Rowley's.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but I took it on myself to order the colour,
and hoping it wasn't a liberty."

"Claret and invisible green--a duplicate, but for a bullet-hole
wanting."

"Which I didn't like to go so far on my own hook, Mr. Anne."

"We fight under the old colours, my lad."

"And walk in and win this time, sir, strike me lucky!"

While we bowled along the first stage towards London--Mr. Romaine and I
within the chaise and Rowley perched upon the dickey--I told the lawyer
of our progress from Aylesbury to Kirkby-Lonsdale. He took snuff.

"_Forsitan et haec olim_--that Rowley of yours seems a good-hearted lad,
and less of a fool than he looks. The next time I have to travel post
with an impatient lover, I'll take a leaf out of his book and buy me a
flageolet."

"Sir, it was ungrateful of me----"

"Tut, tut, Mr. Anne. I was fresh from my little triumph, that is all;
and perhaps would have felt the better for a word of approbation--a
little pat on the back, as I may say. It is not often that I have felt
the need of it--twice or thrice in my life, perhaps: not often enough to
justify my anticipating your example and seeking a wife betimes; for
that is a man's one chance if he wants another to taste his success."

"And yet I dare swear you rejoice in mine unselfishly enough."

"Why, no, sir: your cousin would have sent me to the right-about within
a week of his succession. Still, I own to you that he offended something
at least as deep as self-interest: the sight and scent of him habitually
turned my gorge: whereas"--and he incl