Just as I was about to cross the street called the Haymarket, at the lower part, a cabriolet, drawn by a magnificent animal, came dashing along at a furious rate; it stopped close by the curb-stone where I was, a sudden pull of the reins nearly bringing the spirited animal upon its haunches. The Jehu who had accomplished this feat was Francis Ardry. A small beautiful female, with flashing eyes, dressed in the extremity of fashion, sat beside him. "Holloa, friend," said Francis Ardry, "whither bound?" "I do not know," said I; "all I can say, is, that I am about to leave London." "And the means?" said Francis Ardry. "I have them," said I, with a cheerful smile. "_Qui est celui-ci_?" demanded the small female, impatiently. "_C'est . . . mon ami le plus intime_; so you were about to leave London without telling me a word," said Francis Ardry, somewhat angrily. "I intended to have written to you," said I: "what a splendid mare that is." "Is she not?" said Francis Ardry, who was holding in the mare with difficulty; "she cost a hundred guineas." "_Qu'est-ce qu'il dit_?" demanded his companion. "_Il dit que le jument est bien beau_." "_Allons_, _mon ami_, _il est tard_," said the beauty, with a scornful toss of her head; "_allons_!" "_Encore un moment_," said Francis Ardry; "and when shall I see you again?" "I scarcely know," I replied: "I never saw a more splendid turn-out." "_Qu'est-ce qu'il dit_?" said the lady again. "_Il dit que tout l'equipage est en assez bon gout_." "_Allons_, _c'est un ours_," said the lady; "_le cheval meme en a peur_," added she, as the mare reared up on high. "Can you find nothing else to admire but the mare and the equipage?" said Francis Ardry, reproachfully, after he had with some difficulty brought the mare to order. Lifting my hand, in which I held my stick, I took off my hat. "How beautiful!" said I, looking the lady full in the face. "_Comment_?" said the lady, inquiringly. "_Il dit que vous etes belle comme un ange_," said Francis Ardry, emphatically. "_Mais_, _a la bonne heure! arretez_, _mon ami_," said the lady to Francis Ardry, who was about to drive off; "_je voudrais bien causer un moment avec lui_; _arretez_, _il est delicieux_.--_Est-ce bien ainsi que vous traitez vos amis_?" said she, passionately, as Francis Ardry lifted up his whip. "_Bon jour_, _Monsieur_, _bon jour_," said she, thrusting her head from the side and looking back, as Francis Ardry drove off at the rate of thirteen miles an hour. CHAPTER LIX The Milestone--The Meditation--Want to Get Up?--The Off-hand Leader--Sixteen Shillings--The Near-hand Wheeler--All Right.