Part 44 (1/2)
When Mr Bouncer had refreshed his innerby the consuular mixture of coffee and kidneys, beef-steaks and beer; and when he had rested from his exertions, and had resumed his pipe - which was not ”the judicious Hooker,” but a short clay, smoked to a swarthy hue, and on that account, as well as from its presumed medicatory power, called ”the Black Doctor,” - just then, Mr Suests, who had been to an early lecture, dropped in to breakfast Huz and Buz, setting up a terrific bark, darted towards a minute specimen of the canine species, which, with the aid of a powerful ht have been discovered at the feet of its proud proprietor, Mr S of its kind imported into Oxford, and it was destined to set on foot a fashi+on that soon bade fair to drive out of the field those long-haired Skye-terriers, with two or three specimens of which species, he entered the room
”Kill 'em, Lympy!” said Mr Snacity, was sub to the curious and minute inspection of Huz and Buz ”Lylossy coat, bead-like eyes, cropped ears, pointed tail, limbs of a cobwebby structure,
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and so diminutive in its proportions, that its oas accustomed to carry it inside the breast of his waistcoat, as a precaution, probably, against its being bloay And it was called ”Lympy,”
as an abbreviation of ”Olyiven to it for its smallness, on the ~lucus a non lucendo~ principle that ” - not-sufficient-to-support-life - of the poor vicar, the uncertain ”certain age,” the unfair ”fare” and the son-ruled ”governor”
”Lyht be duly admired; an exaltation at which Huz and Buz and the Skye-terriers chafed with jealousy ”Be quiet, you beggars! he's prettier than you!” said Mr Smalls; whereupon, a mild punster present propounded the canine query, ”Did it ever occur to a cur to be lauded to the Skyes?” at which there was a shout of indignation, and he was sconced by the unanimous vote of the co,” said little Mr Bouncer, as he puffed away at the Black Doctor ”He'd be perfect, if he hadn't one fault” ”And what's his fault, pray?” asked his anxious owner
”There's rather too ravely
”Robert!” shouted the little gentleman to his scout; ”Robert! doose take the feller, he's always out of the hen he's wanted” And, when the performance of a variety of octaves on the post-horn, coht Mr
Robert Filcher to his presence, Mr Bouncer received hiations, and ordered another tankard of beer from the buttery
In theturn ”Do you meet Drake's to-morrow?” asked Mr Blades of Mr Four-in-hand Fosbrooke
”No! the old Berkshi+re,” was the reply ”Where's the meet?”
”At Buscot Park I send o to meet him by rail”
”And, what about the Grind?” asked Mr Senerally'
”Oh yes!” said Mr Bouncer, ”let us talk over the Grind Giglamps, old feller, you must join”
”Certainly, if you wish it,” said Mr Verdant Green, who,
[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 301]
however, had as little idea as theabout But, as he was no longer a Freshnorance on any e life; so he lookedht fro> ”That's the very cup that Four-in-hand Fosbrooke won at the last Grind,” said Mr Bouncer
”Was it indeed!” safely answered Mr Verdant Green, who looked at the silver cup (on which was engraven a coat of arms with the words ”Brazenface Grind- Fosbrooke,”), and wondered what ”a Grind” ht be A medical student would have told [hi up for an examination [under] the tuition of one as familiarly termed ”a Grinder” - a process which Mr Verdant Green's friends would phrase as ”Coaching” under ”a Coach;” but the conversation that followed upon Mr Smalls' introduction of the subject, made our hero aware, that, to a University nification, but a riding one In fact, it was a steeple-chase, slightly varying in its details according to the college that patronized the pastime At Brazenface, ”the Grind” was usually over a known line of country, entleman (familiarly known as Anniseed) who attended to this business, and full of leaps of various kinds, and various degrees of stiffness By sweepstakes and subscriptions, a sum of from ten to fifteen pounds was raised for the purchase of a silver cup, ith to grace the winner's wines and breakfast parties; but, as the winner had occasionally been known to pay as much as fifteen pounds for the day's hire of the blood horse as to land hiethe by no means little one of a dinner to the losers, the conqueror for the cup usually obtained lory than profit
”I suppose you'll enter ~Tearaway~, as before?” asked Mr Set him in condition for the Aylesbury steeple-chase,” replied the owner of ~Tearaway~, as rather too fond of vaunting his blue silk and black cap before the eyes of the sporting public
”You've not(with the Black Doctor) the stalwart form of Mr
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Blades ”Billy's too big in the Westphalias Giglaoose Don't you remeht, would, should, and could, ride like a Shafto? and lives there a man with soul so dead, - as shi+kspur or some other cove observes - ouldn't like to shohat stuff he was entleot a mare who can lick ~Tearaway~ into fits She is as easy as a chair, and jumps like a cat All that you have to do is to sit back, clip the pig-skin, and send her at it; and, she'll take you over without touching a twig He'd proether; it interferes tooSo I can make Tollitt keep her for you Think hoell the cup would look on your side-board, when you've blossoed the adorable Patty into Mrs Verdant Think of that, Master Giglaument was a persuasive one, and Mr Verdant Green consented to be one of the twelve gentlens to be allowed toGrind After much debate, ”the Wet Ensham course” was decided upon; and three o'clock in the afternoon of that day fortnight was fixed for the start Mr Sive the luncheon at his rooms; and the host of the Red Lion, at Ensham, was ordered to prepare one of his very best dinners, for the winding up of the day's sport
”I don'tfor it,” said Verdant to Mr Bouncer, ”if I can but win the cup, and show it to Patty, when she comes to us at Christmas”