Just as I
was beginning to recollect myself, the curtain dropped, and I
heard, or thought I heard, a voice say, "Don't know the cove."
Then there was a rustling like a person undressing, whereupon being
satisfied that it was my fellow-lodger, I dropped asleep, but was
awakened again by a kind of heavy plunge upon the other bed, which
caused it to rock and creak, when I observed that the light had
been extinguished, probably blown out, if I might judge from a
rather disagreeable smell of burnt wick which remained in the room,
and which kept me awake till I heard my companion breathing hard,
when, turning on the other side, I was again once more speedily in
the arms of slumber.
CHAPTER XXXVII
Horncastle Fair.
It had been my intention to be up and doing early on the following
morning, but my slumbers proved so profound, that I did not wake
until about eight; on arising, I again found myself the sole
occupant of the apartment, my more alert companion having probably
risen at a much earlier hour. Having dressed myself, I descended,
and going to the stable, found my horse under the hands of my
friend the ostler, who was carefully rubbing him down. "There
a'n't a better horse in the fair," said he to me, "and as you are
one of us, and appear to be all right, I'll give you a piece of
advice--don't take less than a hundred and fifty for him; if you
mind your hits, you may get it, for I have known two hundred given
in this fair for one no better, if so good.
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