The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 101: what you’re looking at

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84 REYNOLDS’ WORKS Street, and I say my fare’s two bob, and I won’t bate a farden. He’s gived me eighteen pence in silver, and demands tuppence change.”’ ‘Yes, and I mean to have it, too,” said Mr. Gunthorpe, with a most imperturbable coolness. ‘‘ I asked the landlord of the Bell and Crown what your fare was, and he told me sixteen pence, but I should have given you the eighteen if you were not insolent about it. So now I take your number.” “And pull me up afore the beak, eh?” vociferated the cabman. ‘ Well, so do, and I’m sniggered if I don’t have the ground measured at your expense too, old boy. Look at that hoss, d’ye think he wor made to go all this distance for sixteen pence? ”’ “No, certainly not, nor any distance at all,’ answered Mr. Gunthorpe, still cool as a cucumber. ‘ His next drive should be to the knackers’ yard,” and thus speaking, the old gentleman entered the house, the door of which Alfred, who had stood the while aghast as the two nobles up-stairs, immediately shut in the face of the enraged cabman. Mr. Gunthorpe, duly escorted by Alfred, was ushered ) into the drawing-room, where Lord Harold received him | with as good a face as he could possibly put on, but Lord Saxondale scarcely attempted to conceal his own feelings of horror and disgust at the visitor’s conduct. “Tam sorry now that I did not take the omnibus, as I first intended to do,’ remarked Mr. Gunthorpe, when he had paid his respects to the two noblemen. ‘“ The insolence of your London cabmen is perfectly intolerable. Has not your lordship found it so? ”’ ‘7 never patronize street cabs, Mr. Gunthorpe,’ Harold Staunton. “For my part, I understand they swarm with vermin,’’ said Lord Saxondale. “In which case they must be catching,” said Mr. Gun- thorpe, coolly, ‘so your lordship had better not come near me.”’ There was now a pause, for neither of the two young men knew exactly what next to say. They were immeasurably disgusted with their visitor, but as their aim and hope were to make him useful, they dared not give too manifest a dis- ) replied play of their feelings. Lord Saxondale therefore adjusted — his neck-cloth before the looking-glass, and Lord Harold CONNIE OO KS