When one opens a suspicious-looking envelope and finds something about
"Mr Shopley's respectful compliments" on the inside of the flap, the
chances are that Mr Shopley is hungering for what we have Ovid's
authority for terming _irritamenta malorum_. Not wishing to have
my appetite for breakfast spoiled, I did not pursue my researches into
a communication of this sort which was amongst my letters on a certain
morning in November; but turned over the pile until the familiar
caligraphy of Bertie Peyton caught my eye: for Bertie was Nellie's
brother, and Nellie Peyton, it had been decided, would shortly cease to
be Nellie Peyton; a transformation for which I was the person chiefly
responsible. Bertie's communication was therefore seized with avidity.
It ran as follows:--
"The Lodge, Holmesdale.
"MY DEAR CHARLIE,
"I sincerely hope that you have no important engagements just at
present, as I want you down here most particularly.
"You know that there was a small race-meeting at Bibury the other
day. I rode over on Little Lady, and found a lot of the 14th
Dragoons there; that conceited young person Blankney amongst the
number. Now, although Blankley has a very considerable personal
knowledge of the habits and manners of the ass, he doesn't know
much about the horse; and for that reason he saw fit to read us a
lecture on breeding and training, pointing his moral and adorning
his tale with a reference to my mare--whose pedigree, you know, is
above suspicion. After, however, he had kindly informed us what a
thoroughbred horse ought to be, he looked at Little Lady and said,
'Now I shouldn't think that thing was thoroughbred!' It ended by my
matching her against that great raw-boned chestnut of his: three
and a half miles over the steeplechase course, to be run at the
Holmesdale Meeting, on the 5th December.
"As you may guess, I didn't want to win or lose a lot of money, and
when he asked what the match should be for, I suggested '£20
a-side.' 'Hardly worth while making a fuss for £20!' he said,
rather sneeringly. '£120, if you like!' I answered, rather angrily,
hardly meaning what I said; but he pounced on the offer. Of course
I couldn't retract, and so very stupidly, I plunged deeper into the
mire, and made several bets with the fellows who were round us.
They laid me 3 to 1 against the mare, but I stand to lose nearly
£500.
"You see now what I want. I ride quite 12 stone, as you know; the
mare is to carry 11 stone, and you can just manage that nicely. I
know you'll come if you can, and if you telegraph I'll meet you.
"Your's ever,