a fellow of Horncastle called, in
my hearing, our noble-looking Hungarian friend here, Long-stockings. Oh,
I could give you a hundred instances, both ancient and modern, of this
unseemly propensity of our illustrious race, though I will only trouble
you with a few more ancient ones; they not only nicknamed Regner, but his
sons also, who were all kings, and distinguished men: one, whose name was
Biorn, they nicknamed Ironsides; another Sigurd, Snake in the Eye;
another, White Sark, or White Shirt--I wonder they did not call him Dirty
Shirt, and Ivarr, another, who was King of Northumberland, they called
Beinlausi, or the Legless, because he was spindle-shanked, had no sap in
his bones, and consequently no children. He was a great king, it is
true, and very wise, nevertheless his blackguard countrymen, always
averse, as their descendants are, to give credit to anybody, for any
valuable quality or possession, must needs lay hold, do you see--'

But before I could say any more, the jockey, having laid down his pipe,
rose, and having taken off his coat, advanced towards me.

CHAPTER XLII

A SHORT-TEMPERED PERSON--GRAVITATION--THE BEST ENDOWMENT--MARY
FULCHER--FAIR DEALING--HORSE-WITCHERY--DARIUS AND HIS GROOM--THE JOCKEY'S
TRICKS--THE TWO CHARACTERS--THE JOCKEY'S SONG

The jockey, having taken off his coat and advanced towards me, as I have
stated in the preceding chapter, exclaimed, in an angry tone, 'This is
the third time you have interrupted me in my tale, Mr. Rye; I passed over
the two first times with a simple warning, but you will now please to get
up and give me the satisfaction of a man.'

'I am really sorry,' said I, 'if I have given you offence, but you were
talking of our English habit of bestowing nicknames, and I could not
refrain from giving a few examples tending to prove what a very ancient
habit it is.'

'But you interrupted me,' said the jockey, 'and put me out of my tale,
which you had no right to do; and as for your examples, how do you know
that I wasn't going to give some as old or older than yourn. Now stand
up, and I'll make an example of you.'

'Well,' said I, 'I confess it was wrong in me to interrupt you, and I ask
your pardon.'

'That won't do,' said the jockey, 'asking pardon won't do.'

'Oh,' said I, getting up, 'if asking pardon does not satisfy you, you are
a different man from what I considered you.'

But here the Hungarian, also getting up, interposed his tall form an