"It's my
horse," said I; "are you the person who wishes to make an honest
penny by it?" "How!" said he, drawing up his head with a very
consequential look, and speaking with a very haughty tone, "what do
you mean?" We looked at each other full in the face; after a few
moments, the muscles of the mouth of him of the hungry look began
to move violently, the face was puckered into innumerable wrinkles,
and the eyes became half closed. "Well," said I, "have you ever
seen me before? I suppose you are asking yourself that question."
"Excuse me, sir," said he, dropping his lofty look, and speaking in
a very subdued and civil tone, "I have never had the honour of
seeing you before, that is"--said he, slightly glancing at me
again, and again moving the muscles of his mouth, "no, I have never
seen you before," he added, making me a bow. "I have never had
that pleasure; my business with you, at present, is to inquire the
lowest price you are willing to take for this horse. My agent here
informs me that you ask one hundred and fifty pounds, which I
cannot think of giving--the horse is a showy horse, but look, my
dear sir, he has a defect here, and there in his near fore leg I
observe something which looks very like a splint--yes, upon my
credit," said he, touching the animal, "he has a splint, or
something which will end in one.
Pages:
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360