The English | Page 7

if she does not get better."
"Yes," said she, "but a good boarding-school costs a hundred guineas a
year, including masters."
"If I approve of the school you select I will pay a year in advance."
On my making this offer the woman, who seemed to be living so
luxuriously, but was in reality poverty-stricken, embraced me with the
utmost gratitude.
"Come and tell the news to your daughter now," said she, "I should like
to watch her face when she hears it."

"Certainly."
"My dear Sophie," I said, "your mother agrees with me that if you had a
change of air you would get better, and if you would like to spend a
year or two in a good school I will pay the first year in advance."
"Of course, I will obey my dear mother," said Sophie.
"There is no question of obedience. Would you like to go to school?
Tell me truly."
"But would my mother like me to go?"
"Yes, my child, if it would please you."
"Then, mamma, I should like to go very much."
Her face flushed as she spoke, and I knew that my diagnosis had been
correct. I left her saying I should hope to hear from her soon.
At ten o'clock the next day Jarbe came to ask if I had forgotten my
engagement.
"No," said I, "but it is only ten o'clock."
"Yes, but we have twenty miles to go."
"Twenty miles?"
"Certainly, the house is at St. Albans."
"It's very strange Pembroke never told me; how did you find out the
address?"
"He left it when he went away:"
"Just like an Englishman."
I took a post-chaise, and in three hours I had reached my destination.

The English roads are excellent, and the country offers a smiling
prospect on every side. The vine is lacking, for though the English soil
is fertile it will not bear grapes.
Lord Pembroke's house was not a particularly large one, but twenty
masters and their servants could easily be accommodated in it.
The lady had not yet arrived, so my lord shewed me his gardens, his
fountains, and his magnificent hot-houses; also a cock chained by the
leg, and of a truly ferocious aspect.
"What have we here, my lord?"
"A cock."
"I see it is, but why do you chain it?"
"Because it is savage. It is very amorous, and if it were loose it would
go after the hens, and kill all the cocks on the country-side."
"But why do you condemn him to celibacy?"
"To make him fiercer. Here, this is the list of his conquests."
He gave me a list of his cock's victories, in which he had killed the
other bird; this had happened more than thirty times. He then shewed
me the steel spurs, at the sight of which the cock began to ruffle and
crow. I could not help laughing to see such a martial spirit in so small
an animal. He seemed possessed by the demon of strife, and lifted now
one foot and now the other, as if to beg that his arms might be put on.
Pembroke then exhibited the helmet, also of steel.
"But with such arms," said I, "he is sure of conquest."
"No; for when he is armed cap-a-pie he will not fight with a
defenceless cock."
"I can't believe it, my lord."

"It's a well-known fact. Here, read this."
He then gave me a piece of paper with this remarkable biped's pedigree.
He could prove his thirty-two quarters more easily than a good many
noblemen, on the father's side, be it understood, for if he could have
proved pure blood on the mother's side as well, Lord Pembroke would
have decorated him with the Order of the Golden Fleece at least.
"The bird cost me a hundred guineas," said he, "but I would not sell
him for a thousand."
"Has he any offspring?"
"He tries his best, but there are difficulties."
I do not remember whether Lord Pembroke explained what these
difficulties were. Certainly the English offer more peculiarities to the
attentive observer than any other nation.
At last a carriage containing a lady and two gentlemen drove up to the
door. One of the gentlemen was the rascally Castelbajac and the other
was introduced as Count Schwerin, nephew of the famous marshal of
that name who fell on what is commonly called the field of glory.
General Bekw---- an Englishman who was in the service of the King of
Prussia, and was one of Pembroke's guests, received Schwerin politely,
saying that he had seen his uncle die; at this the modest nephew drew
the Order of the Black Eagle from his breast, and shewed it to us all
covered with blood.
"My uncle wore it on the day of his death,