下载辰思小说免费APP
crown，occasionallyassistedme，thoughhewastoomuchoccupiedbythehorsesofothergueststodevoteanylengthoftimetotheserviceofmine；hemorethanoncerepeatedtomehisfirmconvictionthathimselfandpartnerscouldaffordtooffermesummutforthehorse；andatalaterhourwhen，incompliancewithhisinvitation，Itookaglassofsummutwithhimselfandpartners，inalittleroomsurroundedwithcorn—chests，onwhichwesat，bothhimselfandpartnersendeavouredtoimpressuponme，chieflybymeansofnodsandwinks，theirconvictionthattheycouldaffordtogivemesummutforthehorse，providedIweredisposedtosellhim；
inreturnforwhichintimation，withasmanynodsandwinksastheyhadallcollectivelyused，IendeavouredtoimpressuponthemmyconvictionthatIcouldgetsummuthandsomerinthefairthantheymightbedisposedtoofferme，seeingashow—whichhowIfollowedbyawinkandanod，whichtheyseemedperfectlytounderstand，oneortwoofthemdeclaringthatifthecasewasso，itmadeagreatdealofdifference，andthattheydidnotwishtobeanyhindrancetome，moreparticularlyasitwasquiteclearIhadbeenanostlerlikethemselves。
ItwaslateatnightwhenIbegantothinkofretiringtorest。OninquiringiftherewasanyplaceinwhichIcouldsleep，Iwasinformedthattherewasabedatmyservice，providedIchosetosleepinatwo—beddedroom，oneofthebedsofwhichwasengagedbyanothergentleman。Iexpressedmysatisfactionatthisarrangement，andwasconductedbyamaid—servantupmanypairsofstairstoagarret，inwhichweretwosmallbeds，inoneofwhichshegavemetounderstandanothergentlemanslept；hehad，however，notyetretiredtorest；Iaskedwhohewas，butthemaid—servantcouldgivemenoinformationabouthim，savethathewasahighlyrespectablegentleman，andafriendofhermaster’s。
Presently，biddingmegoodnight，sheleftmewithacandle；
andI，havingundressedmyselfandextinguishedthelight，wenttobed。Notwithstandingthenoiseswhichsoundedfromeverypartofthehouse，Iwasnotslowinfallingasleep，beingthoroughlytired。IknownothowlongImighthavebeeninbed，perhapstwohours，whenIwaspartiallyawakenedbyalightshininguponmyface，whereupon，unclosingmyeyes，Iperceivedthefigureofaman，withacandleinonehand，staringatmyface，whilstwiththeotherhand，heheldbackthecurtainofthebed。AsIhavesaidbefore，Iwasonlypartiallyawakened，mypowerofconceptionwasconsequentlyveryconfused；itappearedtome，however，thatthemanwasdressedinagreencoat；thathehadcurlybrownorblackhair，andthattherewassomethingpeculiarinhislook。JustasIwasbeginningtorecollectmyself，thecurtaindropped，andIheard，orthoughtIheard，avoicesay，"Don’tknowthecove。"Thentherewasarustlinglikeapersonundressing，whereuponbeingsatisfiedthatitwasmyfellow—lodger，Idroppedasleep，butwasawakenedagainbyakindofheavyplungeupontheotherbed，whichcausedittorockandcreak，whenIobservedthatthelighthadbeenextinguished，probablyblownout，ifImightjudgefromaratherdisagreeablesmellofburntwickwhichremainedintheroom，andwhichkeptmeawaketillIheardmycompanionbreathinghard，when，turningontheotherside，Iwasagainoncemorespeedilyinthearmsofslumber。
CHAPTERXXXVII
HorncastleFair。
IThadbeenmyintentiontobeupanddoingearlyonthefollowingmorning，butmyslumbersprovedsoprofound，thatI
didnotwakeuntilabouteight；onarising，Iagainfoundmyselfthesoleoccupantoftheapartment，mymorealertcompanionhavingprobablyrisenatamuchearlierhour。
Havingdressedmyself，Idescended，andgoingtothestable，foundmyhorseunderthehandsofmyfriendtheostler，whowascarefullyrubbinghimdown。"Therea’n’tabetterhorseinthefair，"saidhetome，"andasyouareoneofus，andappeartobeallright，I’llgiveyouapieceofadvice—
don’ttakelessthanahundredandfiftyforhim；ifyoumindyourhits，youmaygetit，forIhaveknowntwohundredgiveninthisfairforonenobetter，ifsogood。""Well，"saidI，"thankyouforyouradvice，whichIwilltake，and，ifsuccessful，willgiveyou’summut’handsome。""Thankyou，"
saidtheostler；"andnowletmeaskwhetheryouareuptoallthewaysofthishereplace？""Ihaveneverbeenherebefore，"saidI，"butIhaveapairoftolerablysharpeyesinmyhead。""ThatIseeyouhave，"saidtheostler，"butmanyabody，withassharpapairofeyesasyourn，haslosthishorseinthisfair，forwantofhavingbeenherebefore，therefore，"saidhe，"I’llgiveyouacautionortwo。"
Thereupontheostlerproceededtogivemeatleasthalfadozencautions，onlytwoofwhichIshallrelatetothereader：—thefirst，nottostoptolistentowhatanychancecustomermighthavetosay；andthelast—theoneonwhichheappearedtolaymoststress—bynomannerofmeanstopermitaYorkshiremantogetupintothesaddle，"for，"saidhe，"ifyoudo，itisthreetoonethatheridesoffwiththehorse；hecan’thelpit；trustacatamongstcream，butnevertrustaYorkshiremanonthesaddleofagoodhorse；by—the—
by，"hecontinued，"thatsaddleofyoursisnotaparticularlygoodone，nomoreisthebridle。Itellyouwhat，asyouseemadecentkindofayoungchap，I’lllendyouasaddleandbridleofmymaster’s，almostbrannew；hewon’tobject，Iknow，asyouareafriendofhis，onlyyoumustnotforgetyourpromisetocomedownwithsummuthandsomeafteryouhavesoldtheanimal。"
AfteraslightbreakfastImountedthehorse，which，deckedoutinhisborrowedfinery，reallylookedbetterbyalargesumofmoneythanonanyformeroccasion。Makingmywayoutoftheyardoftheinn，Iwasinstantlyintheprincipalstreetofthetown，upanddownwhichanimmensenumberofhorseswerebeingexhibited，someled，andotherswithriders。"Awonderfulsmallquantityofgoodhorsesinthefairthistime！"Iheardastoutjockey—lookingindividualsay，whowasstaringupthestreetwithhissidetowardsme。
"Halloo，youngfellow！"saidhe，afewmomentsafterIhadpassed，"whosehorseisthat？Stop！Iwanttolookathim！"
Thoughconfidentthathewasaddressinghimselftome，Itooknonotice，rememberingtheadviceoftheostler，andproceededupthestreet。Myhorsepossessedagoodwalkingstep；butwalking，asthereaderknows，wasnothisbestpace，whichwasthelongtrot，atwhichIcouldnotwellexercisehiminthestreet，onaccountofthecrowdofmenandanimals；however，ashewalkedalong，Icouldeasilyperceivethatheattractednoslightattentionamongstthosewho，bytheirjockeydressandgeneralappearance，Iimaginedtobeconnoisseurs；Iheardvariouscallstostop，tononeofwhichIpaidtheslightestattention。InafewminutesI
foundmyselfoutofthetown，when，turningroundforthepurposeofreturning，IfoundIhadbeenfollowedbyseveraloftheconnoisseur—lookingindividuals，whomIhadobservedinthefair。"Nowwouldbethetimeforadisplay，"thoughtI；andlookingaroundmeIobservedtwofive—barredgates，oneoneachsideoftheroad，andfrontingeachother。
Turningmyhorse’sheadtoone，Ipressedmyheelstohissides，loosenedthereins，andgaveanencouragingcry，whereupontheanimalclearedthegateinatwinkling。Beforehehadadvancedtenyardsinthefieldtowhichthegateopened，Ihadturnedhimround，andagaingivinghimcryandrein，Icausedhimtoleapbackagainintotheroad，andstillallowinghimhead，Imadehimleaptheothergate；andforthwithturninghimround，Icausedhimtoleaponcemoreintotheroad，wherehestoodproudlytossinghishead，asmuchastosay，"Whatmore？""Afinehorse！acapitalhorse！"saidseveraloftheconnoisseurs。"Whatdoyouaskforhim？""Toomuchforanyofyoutopay，"saidI。"A
horselikethisisintendedforotherkindofcustomersthananyofyou。""Howdoyouknowthat？"saidone；theverysamepersonwhomIhadheardcomplaininginthestreetofthepaucityofgoodhorsesinthefair。"Come，letusknowwhatyouaskforhim？""Ahundredandfiftypounds！"saidI；
"neithermorenorless。""Doyoucallthatagreatprice？"
saidtheman。"Why，Ithoughtyouwouldhaveaskeddoublethatamount！Youdoyourselfinjustice，youngm
