Nevertheless he was a handsome man, with well-cut features, not tall, but very strongly built, and with a certain curl in the corner of his eyelids which gave to him a look of resolution,--which perhaps he did not possess.
He was known to be a clever man, and when very young had had the reputation of being a scholar.

When he was three-and-twenty grey-haired votaries of the turf declared that he would make his fortune on the race-course,--so clear-headed was he as to odds, so excellent a judge of a horse's performances, and so gifted with a memory of events.

When he was five-and-twenty he had lost every shilling of a fortune of his own, had squeezed from his father more than his father ever chose to name in speaking of his affairs to any one, and was known to be in debt.

But he had sacrificed himself on one or two memorable occasions in conformity with turf laws of honour, and men said of him, either that he was very honest or very chivalric,--in accordance with the special views on the subject of the man who was speaking.

It was reported now that he no longer owned horses on the turf;--but this was doubted by some who could name the animals which they said that he owned, and which he ran in the name of Mr.Macnab,--said some; of Mr.Pardoe,--said others; of Mr.
Chickerwick,--said a third set of informants.