He,
therefore, just let the beast gallop till he began to flag, and then he
spurred him and made him gallop on his account. He thus took his change out
of him, and arrived at Jawleyford Court a little after luncheon time.
Brief as had been his absence, things had undergone a great change. Certain
dark hints respecting his ways and means had worked their way from the
servants' hall to my lady's chamber, and into the upper regions generally.
These had been augmented by Leather's, the trusty groom's, overnight visit,
in fulfilment of his engagement to sup with the servants. Nor was Mr.
Leather's anger abated by the unceremonious way Mr. Sponge rode off with
the horse, leaving him to hear of his departure from the ostler. Having
broken faith with him, he considered it his duty to be 'upsides' with him,
and tell the servants all he knew about him. Accordingly he let out, in
strict confidence of course, to Spigot, that so far from Mr. Sponge being a
gentleman of 'fortin,' as he called it, with a dozen or two hunters planted
here and there, he was nothing but the hirer of a couple of hacks, with
himself as a job-groom, by the week.
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