I almost imagined myself Gunnar of
Hlitharend at the race of -
"Are you satisfied?" said the landlord. "Didn't you tell me that
he could leap?" I demanded. "I am told he can," said the landlord;
"but I can't consent that he should be tried in that way, as he
might be damaged." "That's right!" said Mr. Petulengro, "don't
trust my pal to leap that horse, he'll merely fling him down, and
break his neck and his own. There's a better man than he close by;
let him get on his back and leap him." "You mean yourself, I
suppose," said the landlord. "Well, I call that talking modestly,
and nothing becomes a young man more than modesty." "It a'n't I,
daddy," said Mr. Petulengro. "Here's the man," said he, pointing
to Tawno. "Here's the horse-leaper of the world!" "You mean the
horse-back breaker," said the landlord. "That big fellow would
break down my cousin's horse." "Why, he weighs only sixteen
stone," said Mr. Petulengro. "And his sixteen stone, with his way
of handling a horse, does not press so much as any other one's
thirteen. Only let him get on the horse's back, and you'll see
what he can do!" "No," said the landlord, "it won't do." Whereupon
Mr. Petulengro became very much excited; and pulling out a handful
of money, said, "I'll tell you what, I'll forfeit these guineas, if
my black pal there does the horse any kind of damage; duck me in
the horse-pond if I don't.
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