an it had been your will."

"I am bewitched this morning," said Chiffinch to himself, "or else the
champagne runs in my head still. My brain has become the very lowlands
of Holland--a gill-cup would inundate it--Hark thee, fellow," he added,
addressing Lance, "keep my counsel--there is a wager betwixt Lord
Saville and me, which of us shall first have a letter in London. Here
is to drink my health, and bring luck on my side. Say nothing of it; but
help Tom to his nag.--Tom, ere thou startest come for thy credentials--I
will give thee a letter to the Duke of Bucks, that may be evidence thou
wert first in town."

Tom Beacon ducked and exited; and Lance, after having made some show
of helping him to horse, ran back to tell his master the joyful
intelligence, that a lucky accident had abated Chiffinch's party to
their own number.

Peveril immediately ordered his horses to be got ready; and, so soon
as Tom Beacon was despatched towards London, on a rapid trot, had the
satisfaction to observe Chiffinch, with his favourite Chaubert, mount
to pursue the same journey, though at a more moderate rate. He permitted
them to attain such a distance, that they might be dogged without
suspicion; then paid his reckoning, mounted his horse, and followed,
keeping his men carefully in view, until he should come to a place
proper for the enterprise which he meditated.

It had been Peveril's intention, that when they came to some solitary
part of the road, they should gradually mend their pace, until they
overtook Chaubert--that Lance Outram should then drop behind, in order
to assail the man of spits and stoves, while he himself, spurring
onwards, should grapple with Chiffinch. But this scheme presupposed that
the master and servant should travel in the usual manner--the latter
riding a few yards behind the former. Whereas, such and so interesting
were the subjects of discussion betwixt Chiffinch and the French cook,
that, without heeding the rules of etiquette, they rode on together,
amicably abreast, carrying on a conversation on the mysteries of the
table, which the ancient Comus, or a modern gastronome, might have
listened to with pleasure. It was therefore necessary to venture on them
both at once.

For this purpose, when they saw a long tract of road before them,
unvaried by the least appearance of man, beast, or human habitation,
they began to mend their pace, that they might come up to Chiffinch,
without giving him any alarm, b