Whereupon I turned slowly and waited for him. We then set off towards
the house, but now the cob had no chance, being at least twenty yards
behind when I reached the door. This running of horses, the wild uncouth
forms around me, and the ale and beer which were being guzzled from pots
and flagons, put me wonderfully in mind of the ancient horse-races of the
heathen north. I almost imagined myself Gunnar of Hlitharend at the race
of ---.
'Are you satisfied?' said the landlord. 'Didn't you tell me that he
could leap?' I demanded. 'I am told he can,' said the landlord; 'but I
can't consent that he should be tried in that way, as he might be
damaged.' 'That's right!' said Mr. Petulengro, 'don't trust my pal to
leap that horse, he'll merely fling him down, and break his neck and his
own. There's a better man than he close by; let him get on his back and
leap him.' 'You mean yourself, I suppose,' said the landlord. 'Well, I
call that talking modestly, and nothing becomes a young man more than
modesty.' 'It a'n't I, daddy,' said Mr. Petulengro. 'Here's the man,'
said he, pointing to Tawno. 'Here's the horse-leaper of the world!' 'You
mean the horse-back breaker,' said the landlord. 'That big fellow would
break down my cousin's horse.' 'Why, he weighs only sixteen stone,' said
Mr. Petulengro. 'And his sixteen stone, with his way of handling a
horse, does not press so much as any other one's thirteen. Only let him
get on the horse's back, and you'll see what he can do!' 'No,' said the
landlord, 'it won't do.
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