at least, I will cling to pride. I will at least THINK free and
clean and high. But you can climb higher than I can. You've got
the grit to try and LIVE high. There you are, Benham."

Benham stuck one leg over the arm of his chair. "Billy," he said,
"come and be--equestrian and stop this nonsense."

"No."

"Damn it--you DIVE!"

"You'd go in before me if a woman was drowning."

"Nonsense. I'm going to ride. Come and ride too. You've a
cleverer way with animals than I have. Why! that horse I was
driving the other day would have gone better alone. I didn't drive
it. I just fussed it. I interfered. If I ride for ever, I shall
never have decent hands, I shall always hang on my horse's mouth at
a gallop, I shall never be sure at a jump. But at any rate I shall
get hard. Come and get hard too."

"You can," said Billy, "you can. But not I! Heavens, the TROUBLE
of it! The riding-school! The getting up early! No!--for me the
Trumpington Road on foot in the afternoon. Four miles an hour and
panting. And my fellowship and the combination-room port. And,
besides, Benham, there's the expense. I can't afford the equestrian
order."

"It's not so great."