Page 243 (2/2)

"Well, I never 'eard of a gentle--"

"Still, one ht," I ventured

"No," answered the Postilion, with a decisive shake of the head,

"it's ag'in' natur'; when a gentleets down in the world, an'

'as to do suenerally shoots 'isself--ah!

an' I've knowed 'em do it too! An' then I've noticed as you

don't swear, nor yet curse--not even a damn"

"Seldom," said I; "but what of that?"

"I've seed a deal o' the quality in entleroomed for, an'

never a one on 'e and shaking his head, "'ow they did curselord--oncommon fond o' me 'e were too, in 'is way,

to the day 'is 'oss fell an' rolled on 'ioin' fast 'Jacob!' says 'e, 'da!' says 'e; 'you bet me as that cursed

brute would do for me' 'I did, my lord,' says I, an' I remember

as the tears was a-runnin' down all our faces as we carried 'iate, that bein' 'andiest 'Well, devil

take your soul, you was right, Jacob, an' be damned to you!' says

'e; 'you'll find a tenner in my coat pocket 'ere, you've won it,

for I sha'n't last the day out, Jacob' An' 'e didn't either,

for 'e died afore we got 'ientleents is all the same Lord love

you! there never was one on 'es, or my liver,

or the chaise, or the 'osses, or the road, or the inns, or all on

'eether If you was to strip me as naked as the palentleman as

naked as the palm o' your 'and, an' was to place us side by side

--where'd be the difference? We're both men, both flesh and

blood, a'n't we?--then where 'd be the difference? 'Oo's to

tell which is the lord an' which is the postilion?"