nded to be
full of money, and very anxious for the Baron's advice in laying it out.
On hearing this, the Baron beckoned him to retire, and joining him in
the avenue, walked him up and down, while he recommended his backing a
horse that was notoriously amiss. The Yorkshireman consented, lost a Nap
with great good humour, and banteringly told the Baron he thought he
could beat the horse on foot. This led them to talk of foot-racing and
at last the Yorkshireman offered to bet that Mr. Jorrocks would run
fifty yards with him on his back, before the Baron would run a hundred.
Upon this the Baron scratched his head and looked very knowing,
pretended to make a calculation, when the Yorkshireman affected fear,
and professed his readiness to withdraw the offer. The Baron then
plucked up his courage, and after some haggling, the match was made for
six Naps, the Yorkshireman reckoning the Baron might have ten francs in
addition to what he had won of Mr. Jorrocks and himself. The money was
then deposited in the hands of the Countess Benvolio, and away went the
trio to the "Cottage of Content," to get men and ropes to measure and
keep the ground. The English jockeys and lads, though ready enough to
pigeon a countryman themselves, have no notion of assisting a foreigner
to do so, unless they share in the spoil, and the Baron being a
notorious screw, they all seemed heartily glad to find him in a trap.
Out then they all sallied, amid cheers and shouts, while John Jones,
with a yard-wand in his hand, proceeded to measure a hundred yards along
the low side of the mound. This species of amusement being far more in
accordance with the taste of the French than anything in which horses
are concerned, an immense mob flocked to the scene, and the Baron
having explained how it was, and being considered a safe man to follow,
numerous offers were made to bet against the performance of the match.
The Yorkshireman being a youth of discretion and accustomed to bet among
strangers, got on five Naps more with different parties, who to "prevent
accidents" submitted to deposit the money with the Countess, and all
things being adjusted, and the course cleared by a picket of infantry,
Mr. Jorrocks ungirded his sword, and depositing it with his frock-coat
in the cab, walked up to the fifty yards he was to have for start. "Now,
Colonel," said the Yorkshireman, backing him to the mound, so that he
might leap on without shaking him, "put your best leg first, a