yellow worsted, a very large count's coronet and a cipher at the
four corners of the covering; and under this might be seen a pair of
gorgeous silver stirrups, and above it, a couple of silver-mounted
pistols reposing in bearskin holsters; the bit was silver too, and
the horse's head was decorated with many smart ribbons. Of the
Corporal's steed, suffice it to say, that the ornaments were in
brass, as bright, though not perhaps so valuable, as those which
decorated the Captain's animal. The boys, who had been at play on
the green, first paused and entered into conversation with the
horse-boy; then the village matrons followed; and afterwards,
sauntering by ones and twos, came the village maidens, who love
soldiers as flies love treacle; presently the males began to arrive,
and lo! the parson of the parish, taking his evening walk with Mrs.
Dobbs, and the four children his offspring, at length joined himself
to his flock.

To this audience the little ostler explained that the animals
belonged to two gentlemen now reposing at the "Bugle:" one young
with gold hair, the other old with grizzled locks; both in red
coats; both in jack-boots; putting the house into a bustle, and
calling for the best. He then discoursed to some of his own
companions regarding the merits of the horses; and the parson, a
learned man, explained to the villagers, that one of the travellers
must be a count, or at least had a count's horsecloth; pronounced
that the stirrups were of real silver, and checked the impetuosity
of his son, William Nassau Dobbs, who was for mounting the animals,
and who expressed a longing to fire off one of the pistols in the
holsters.

As this family discussion was taking place, the gentlemen whose