A pretty amble we shall have now, I'll be bound." And indeed ambling was about all they could do.

As for the Oroshaza steeple, so far from drawing any nearer, it seemed to be travelling away from them, and with very much better horses than they had.

It seemed to get further off every moment.
"Well, all we want now is for the saddle horse also to throw up the sponge and we shall be complete." If that were Mr.Gerzson's one remaining wish, Fate very speedily granted it to him, for they had not gone another quarter of an hour when all four horses began to limp together, one with the right foot, another with the left, the third with the fore and the fourth with the hind leg, till it was positively frightful to look at them.
Mr.Gerzson leaped from the box, and in his rage and fury dashed his pipe-stem into a thousand pieces.
"What can the smith have been about!" whined the coachman shaking his head, "and yet his lordship had a look at them too!" "Devil take your smith, and his lordship also for the matter of that.
The whole lot of you deserves hanging." And it was a good thing for the coachman that he happened to be standing on the other side of the horses, as otherwise he would certainly have had a taste of Squire Gerzson's riding whip.
Henrietta, who had hitherto been sleeping quietly in the carriage, aroused by the loud voices, put her head out of the window and timidly inquired what was the matter.

At the first sound of her voice, Squire Gerzson grew as mild as a lamb.
"Nothing much," said he.

"I have only been trying to put together again my broken pipe-stem, the carriage-wheel has gone over my pipe, that is all." "But where are we now ?" asked Henrietta, peeping curiously out of the carriage.