“Yesterday was the last of the season, sir; and signs on it, his Lordship and the other gentleman was off immediately after breakfast.”
“You mean Lord—Lord—” A mist was clearing slowly away, but I could not yet see clearly.
“Lord Keldrum, sir; a real gentleman every inch of him.”
“Oh! yes, to be sure,—a very old friend of mine,” muttered I. “And so he's gone, is he?”
“Yes, sir; and the last word he said was about your honor.”
“About me,—what was it?”
“Well, indeed, sir,” replied the waiter, with a hesitating and confused manner, “I did n't rightly understand it; but as well as I could catch the words, it was something about hoping your honor had more of that wonderful breed of horses the Emperor of Roosia gave you.”
“Oh, yes! I understand,” said I, stopping him abruptly. “By the way, how is Blondel—that is, my horse—this morning?”
“Well, he looked fresh and hearty, when he went off this morning at daybreak—”
“What do you mean?” cried I, jumping up in my bed. “Went off? where to?”