Johnny, however, declined the honour with thanks, not much relishing the idea of mounting a thoroughbred horse, as its fiery eye and thin transparent nostril betokened, as it champed its bit impatiently. "No, thank you!" repeated the Earl, in wonder; "now when I was a boy I should have jumped at the proposal,--but times are changed since then. Philip, lead him." Johnny felt he had gone down a peg in Lord Wentworth's estimation, and ten in the groom's. Young Nimrod, such was the horse's name, required indeed a high hand to rule him, and gave Philip not a little trouble, rearing, kicking, and plunging all the way in a manner which made Johnny feel glad he was not exposed to. Little was said on their way to the church;--when they reached it Mr. Lennox, as usual, led the way to the pew, round which stood Mr. Taylor, the upholsterer, and several workmen admiring their handy-work. Indeed, the pew certainly shone out not a little above its compeers, with its crimson curtains--velvet cushions--and the table in the centre covered with a rich cloth, fringed with gold; a sandal-wood door, and gorgeous oil-cloth, completed the furnishings. "I think, my Lord, this is highly elegant, and distingue," said Mr. Lennox; "I myself superintended everything." "I am sorry you took so much trouble," remarked Lord Wentworth, regarding the whole with a gloomy expression. Then turning sharply round on Mr. Taylor, and muttering to himself, "elegant!" "distingue!" he said: "I thought I ordered a plain mahogany door, and how comes there one of sandal-wood?" "I thought,--my Lord----" "What business had _you_ to think, sir?--your duty was to _obey_. My orders were implicit, and how dared you disobey them? take the trash away!" and suiting the action to the word, with one kick his lordship literally smashed the frail door to pieces. The light thus admitted revealed for the first time the showy oil-cloth, which excited his ire not a little. "And what the devil is this?--I ordered a carpet, and not this gin-palace snobbery!" shouted the enraged peer, forgetting in his passion whose house he was in. Mr. Lennox here interposed, and said it was not Mr. Taylor's fault but his own, as he had thought it would look better. "Then, another time, Mr. Lennox, I will thank you to mind your own business and let me mind mine--I am not accustomed to have my orders countermanded. Rip the accursed thing up. I will not move till it is gone." Some workmen standing near executed this order with the utmost despatch, much fearing a more palpable display of wrath. "And take off that gilt fringe, and let all be plain and quiet. Mr. Taylor, you have strangely mistaken my meaning: I wished a comfortable pew, not a vulgar display for every one to stare at. Let all this be done by to-morrow, and by heaven! let me catch you disobeying my orders again, and I will find some one else to execute them."