ERNEST ATHERLEY; OR, SCENES AT HOME AND ABROAD. BY LORD WILLIAM LENNOX. CHAP. VII. "The gentleman will, for his honour's sake, have one bout with you: he cannot by the duello avoid it." SHAKSPEARE. "It has a strange quick jar upon the ear, BYRON. A Night at Mess-The Race-Course-" The Boy in Yellow wins the Day"An "Affair of Honour"-Statistics of Duelling during the reign of George the Third. To return to my walk; Captain Hornidge took me to the batteries, through the fortifications over the dock-yard, introducing me to those officers of both services with whom he was personally acquainted. After a most elaborate toilet, for early in life I had imbibed a favourite saying of one whose addresses were seldom rejected, and then only in print" that we should always pay attention to our dress, in youth that we may please, in age that we may not displease"-I entered the mess-room, a few minutes before the bugle had sounded for dinner. "I'd have you to know, sir," exclaimed the Major, addressing the wretched subaltern of the day, "that the orderly-room clock is the one we go by, and that, sir, is two minutes and a quarter faster than the town. "Exactly, Major," chimed in Lieutenant Cludde. The dinner was now served, and a more melancholy repast I never sat down to; scarcely a word was uttered, so awed were the whole party at the irritated look of the imperious commander. "Something has evidently gone wrong," remarked my neighbour, Belward, in a low tone, "I think he must have got a wigging' from the General." Agreeable to the mos pro lege principle of those days, I had to pay my footing, by a donation of wine to the mess, and which was accordingly produced upon this occasion. Prowle having left the room, a little more freedom took place, although the Adjutant was still a bar to general hilarity. After a time the subject of hunting and racing was introduced, and the merits of Cludde's charger, Pioneer, were discussed. "He is admirably suited for his work," said the owner, "steady, safe, and quiet under fire, but not fast enough for the race-course or field," he continued, evidently addressing his remarks to me. Χ 66 He seems a very clever horse," I responded, “broad, deep, and a great declivity in his shoulders; quarters long, thighs let down very low." "A most graphic description," responded the Adjutant, "but with all those points, he is slow as a top.' "And yet," I continued, a little elated with the bumpers I had quaffed, "he has every requisite for a race-horse; his hocks are distinct, far behind and from him; thence downward to the next joint they are very short, with that part of the leg standing under him, like that of an ostrich; he has a long lax bending pastern; his arm, too, is well set-on at the extreme point of his shoulder-bone." "A regular veterinary opinion," muttered the Lieutenant, evidently annoyed at the exposure I had made of his horse's qualifications. "He suits my purpose very well; but as for a race-horse, it's ridiculous to suppose such a thing.' "He must be quite thorough-bred," I continued; "do you know his pedigree?" "Thorough-bred! pooh, pooh," he replied. "He ran at Woolwich before I bought him, and was nowhere, in a field of thirteen bad ones; he's a regular cocktail, got by Screveton out of a half-bred mare." Well, we shall know more about him next week, I presume," said young Belward, "for I conclude you will start him for the Garrison Stakes, on South-sea Common." "To promote sport, perhaps I may," responded the Adjutant, "but he has no chance, except with a 'feather' on his back." As the wine got in, the wit got out, and after a great deal of what is usually termed "chaff," a match was proposed between my brown mare, "Fair Ellen," and Pioneer. Excited with the draughts of red-hot port that I had imbibed, I agreed to the terms proposed, despite of sundry expressive looks, and gentle kicks under the table, from those who felt I was about to be victimised. I pass over the rest of the evening, and bring myself to the following morning at five o'clock, when I was awoke out of a feverish sleep, by Hargreaves informing me that the drill-serjeant would be ready for me in half an hour. To cool my burning temples, to collect my scattered senses, to remove the aching pain in my brow, I plunged my head into cold water; and, although only a confused remembrance of what had taken place came across my mind, I remembered the match I had made, and which now stared me in the face, neatly drawn out by my antagonist, and signed in a very crooked hand by myself; it ran as follows: 66 Portsmouth and Gosport Garrison Races, South-sea Common; last day. Match, 1 mile, Fifty Guineas each, P.P., owners to ride: Lieutenant and Adjutant Cludde's b. g. Pioneer, aged, against Ensign the Hon. Ernest Atherley's br. m. Fair Ellen, 4 years old." 66 Before I had time to turn the question over in my mind, I was summoned to drill, and while undergoing the goose-step (for Sergeant Hatton declared all my military instructions at home were nothing") I began to reflect upon the folly I had committed. "Attention!" cried the non-commissioned officer. worse nor Alas! my ideas were distracted at the thoughts of losing my fifty guineas. "Stand at ease!" Alas! no ease could I find, at least mentally, when I reflected how soon I had broken down in the good resolutions I had formed, to avoid drinking and gambling. After practising for nearly an hour, le pas d'oie, as the Terpsichoreans would call it, I was dismissed, and was shortly afterwards joined by Frank Belward. The bird of prey tried to get you into his claws last night, or, rather, early this morning," said he; "but I still hope we'll be even with him; of course I stand half the stakes, for it was through my remarks that the match was made.' "I cannot think of letting you into so bad a speculation,” I responded, "I must stand or fall by my own folly." "I declared on, last night," continued Frank, "so say no more on that subject, and let us put our heads together to see whether we cannot out-manœuvre our opponent. First, as the race is not to take place until Saturday-week, we had better send your mare over at once to Tom Martlett's, near Horndean, to give her a gallop or two, and prepare her as well as he can; and, secondly, you had better take a walk or two to keep down your weight." We lost no time in engaging a man from the George Inn, to take Fair Ellen to her temporary destination; we then proceeded to a grocer's shop, where I was weighed, and found that in my regimentals I did not exceed nine stone twelve. "With light leathers and boots, and a three pound saddle," said my confederate," you'll be able to ride nine stone ten, and Cludde cannot get into the scale under ten stone two." "A walk or two, and a few extra drills in the broiling sun may bring me down a few pounds," I replied, "and then we shall meet upon nearly equal terms of weight for age.' "It will be a grand day," continued Balward, "if we could beat the Adjutant; although I fear, if such was the case, he would make the barracks too hot to hold us." I pass over the time that elapsed between the above period and the day of the important race. At an early hour I visited the stables, and found my mare, who had arrived over night, looking, as Mr. Martlett said, "fit to run for a man's life." Upon getting into the scale at the neighbouring blacksmith's shop, while Fair Ellen was being plated, I found that with a light three pound saddle I could ride nine stone seven; drill and anxiety had reduced me eight pounds. "Excuse me, Capt'in," said the trainer, "but I think you'll ride more pleasanter in a larger saddle, and a few pounds won't make the difference; in this here 'pigskin' of mine, you'll sit down comfortable to your work; in that 'ere, you'll roll about like a porpus in a storm. Excuse my manners, Capt'in, but I likes to be open. "Tom's quite right," exclaimed Balward, "it's a circular course, very awkward to ride over, owing to the loose gravel and swamp in some parts; so the more you feel at home the better." Following the above excellent advice, at two o'clock I was mounted on my mare, looking, as I thought, like a second Chifney, adorned in a new yellow silk jacket, with green velvet cap. Lieutenant Cludde shortly afterwards appeared, in the regimental colours, scarlet, and buff sleeves; his long thin spindles clinging to the sides of a most diminutive saddle, and himself looking as attenuated as his own steed, who I have omitted to mention, had been in training by a farmer of Portsea, for more than six weeks. Our respective weights were, Pioneer, 10st. 3lb.; Fair Ellen 9st. 11lb; and the odds were considerably in favour of the high weight, not alone on account of the shape and stride of the horse, but because his jockey bore a tolerable good name among ama. teurs, and I (to adopt a racing phrase) was a "dark one." A few of my friends backed me for small amounts, although the public were decidedly against me. Before starting, Martlett addressed me in the following terms— 66 I advise you, Capt'in, to make severe running, get a good start and keep it, ease your mare when you get to the run in, and lay by for a rush on the post. I promised to obey his advice implicitly. "You'll excuse me, Capt'in," he continued, "but that 'ere gentleman will, I think, tire himself out before he does his horse; he looks for all the world like a wooden peg on a clothes' line; perhaps if you hustle him a little at starting he'll be upset; it aint a very sunshiny job to ride such an animal in a three pun' saddle." Again I acquiesced, and gave my mare a gentle canter. 66 He looks more like a workman than the other," exclaimed one or two of the knowing ones, as they compared (excuse my blushes,) my more compact figure and sportsman-like seat to the lanky form of my antagonist, rendered more conspicuous by his diminutive saddle. "Why, he in the red jacket is all legs and wings, like a giblet pie, said another," I'll take two to one yellow wins." We were now walked up to the starting post, and upon the word "Off" being given, and a colour flag lowered, away I went, like an arrow out of a bow. Cludde, although rather taken aback by the quickness of my movements, showed himself to be a judicious rider, for instead of at once attempting to make up his lost ground, he waited patiently, gaining, however, upon me a little at every stride. Acting up to my instructions, I increased the pace, and shaving the last post before the run in, still found myself a few lengths before my rival; my advantage was but temporary, for before the distance was reached, Pioneer was close at my mare's quarters; with the race in hand, a smile of satisfaction came across the Adjutant's countenance, as he exclaimed"I won't make it a hollow thing." The odds, according to the old saying, were "Lombard-street to a china orange," or as I shall modernize it, the "Crystal Palace to a cucumber frame," in favour of the “old un.” "Four to one against the mare," shouted a dozen voices. There were no takers: an event now occurred that proved the truth of the old adage, “there's many a slip between the cup and the lip;" just as we were within a few yards from home, and I, obedient to orders, had given Fair Ellen a pull, a butcher's dog crossed the course; Cludde, in his attempt to avoid coming in contact with the cur, gave his horse a sudden jerk, which threw him out of his stride, and caused him to change his leg. A more untoward circumstance followed this; in the exertion of keeping Pioneer in the course, the jockey pressed too heavily with his right leg, the stirrup-leather gave way, and the Adju tant alone saved himself from biting his mother dust by falling against my mare: seeing my advantage, I watched the opportunity, and before my adversary had sufficiently recovered his equilibrium, I made a rush, and won by a head. Rage and despair were now strongly depicted upon the loser's physiognomy, who began to vow vengeance against the butcher, his dog, and the saddler. “You had better ease your mare," said my unsuccessful rival. I was about to attend to this apparently disinterested advice, and had got my foot out of the stirrup, when Martlett's well-known voice attracted my attention. "Don't fall into that trap, Capt'in, pass the winning post afore you dismount, its a rigilar rig to get you off and distance you.' In a second I remembered the rule that requires the winner to undergo this ceremony, and replacing my foot, walked my mare to the weighing stand. "All right," said the man at the scales, and I walked off in triumph, surrounded by Belward and other friends, who rejoiced in the defeat of the unpopular Adjutant. At dinner Cludde seemed to have quite recovered his temper; he drank a glass of wine with me and talked good-humouredly of the race; no one that saw his cool outward look could have for a moment imagined the revengeful feeling that existed within; he was angry at the loss of his fifty guineas, his pride was wounded at having been beat by a stripling, and the shouts that rent the air when I was declared victor, added to the congratulations I had received, inflamed him almost to madness. Treacherous as one of the tiger species, he waited his opportunity to get me within his savage clutches. For a length of time the conversation was carried on in the most friendly manner, when a young ensign suggested that the winner of the match should present a dozen of champagne or a bowl or two of punch to the party; this proposition was unanimously agreed to, and, in the liberality of our hearts, Frank Belward and myself ordered the sparkling beverage and the more potent mixture. As a matter of course, the healths of the donors were proposed and drunk with due honours. Cludde's face was blanched with rage when he witnessed the enthusiasm the toast had met with. "Silence!-speech-Ensign Atherley on his legs-hear, hear," shouted several voices. I rose to acknowledge the honour, and in a few modest remarks attributed my success to accident, finishing my oration with a proposition for a brimming glass to the health of the loser. This was too much for the wrathy Adjutant to bear; to be patronised by a boyish conqueror was gall and wormwood to his proud spirit: to add to his irritation, he perceived and felt the lukewarm manner with which the toast I had proposed was responded to. From this moment my antagonist contradicted every thing I said, talked at me, and threw out one or two insinuations that I could scarcely brook. In vain did my brother officers attempt to avert the conversation, the pugnacious Cludde returned to the charge, and singled me out as the target to practise at. For a considerable time I kept my temper, being anxious to make allowances for my rival's provocation and disappointment; at length he touched a chord that jarred my whole frame, by an allusion to one dearer to me than life itself. In order to change the subject under discussion, some good-humoured officer proposed, as was the custom of those days, |