“You have lost an hour,” said Morland:  “it was only ten o’clock when we came from Tetbury.”

“Ten o’clock! it was eleven, upon my soul!  I counted every stroke.  This brother of yours would persuade me out of my senses, Miss Morland.  Do but look at my horse:  did you ever see an animal so made for speed in your life?” (The servant had just mounted the carriage and was driving off.) “Such true blood!  Three hours and a half, indeed, coming only three-and-twenty miles!  Look at that creature, and suppose it possible, if you can!”

“He does look very hot, to be sure.”

“Hot! he had not turned a hair till we came to Walcot Church:  but look at his forehand; look at his loins; only see how he moves:  that horse cannot go less than ten miles an hour; tie his legs, and he will get on.  What do you think of my gig, Miss Morland?  A neat one, is it not?  Well hung; town built:  I have not had it a month.  It was built for a Christ Church man, a friend of mine, a very good sort of fellow; he ran it a few weeks, till, I believe, it was convenient to have done with it.  I happened just then to be looking out for some light thing of the kind, though I had pretty well determined on a curricle too; but I chanced to meet him on Magdalen Bridge, as he was driving into Oxford, last term:  ‘Ah, Thorpe,’ said he, ’do you happen to want such a little thing as this?  It is a capital one of the kind, but I am cursed tired of it.’  ‘Oh! d——­,’ said I, ‘I am your man; what do you ask?’ And how much do you think he did, Miss Morland?”

“I am sure I cannot guess at all.”

“Curricle-hung, you see; seat, trunk, sword-case, splashing-board, lamps, silver molding, all, you see, complete; the ironwork as good as new, or better.  He asked fifty guineas:  I closed with him directly, threw down the money, and the carriage was mine.”

“And I am sure,” said Catherine, “I know so little of such things, that I cannot judge whether it was cheap or dear.”

“Neither one nor t’other; I might have got it for less, I dare say; but I hate haggling, and poor Freeman wanted cash.”

“That was very good-natured of you,” said Catherine, quite pleased.

“Oh! d——­ it, when one has the means of doing a kind thing by a friend, I hate to be pitiful.”

An inquiry now took place into the intended movements of the young ladies; and on finding whither they were going, it was decided that the gentlemen should accompany them to Edgar’s Buildings, and pay their respects to Mrs. Thorpe.  James and Isabella led the way; and so well satisfied was the latter with her lot, so contentedly was she endeavoring to insure a pleasant walk to him who brought the double recommendation of being her brother’s friend and her friend’s brother, so pure and uncoquettish were her feelings, that though they overtook and passed the two offending young men in Milsom Street, she was so far from seeking to attract their notice that she looked back at them only three times.