However clamorous they might intend to
be afterwards that amount of fair play they were all determined to
afford him. The Major was not excellent at speaking, but he did
perhaps better than might have been expected. 'This is a very
disagreeable position,' he said, 'very disagreeable indeed. As for
the nail in the horse's foot I know no more about it than the babe
unborn. But I've got two things to say, and I'll say what aren't
the most consequence first. These hounds belong to me.' Here he
paused, and a loud contradiction came from many parts of the room.
Mr Jawstock, however, proposed that the Major should be heard to
the end. 'I say they belong to me,' repeated the Major. 'If
anybody tries his hand at anything else the law will soon set that
to rights. But that aren't of much consequence. What I've got to
say is this. Let the matter be referred. If that 'orse had a nail
in run into his foot,--and I don't say he hadn't,--who was the man
most injured? Why, Lord Silverbridge. Everybody knows that. I
suppose he dropped well on to eighty thousand pounds! I propose
to leave it to him.
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