THE CLOUDS. 113

Phet. “J take up with them! No, not for Leago-
ras’s thoroughbreds.” 3

Strep. “My dear son, I do entreat you to go and
learn of them.”

Phet, “What am I to learn?”

Strep. “They say that these people keep two
arguments, whatever they may be,—the Better and
the Worse; and that anybody who uses the Worse
gets the upper hand, even when he has a bad case.
You go and learn this, and then I sha’n’t have to pay
a shilling to any one of the debts which I have run.
up on your account.” ;

Phet. “YT could not think of it. You don’t sup-
pose I could meet the gentlemen who are on the
Turf without a scrap of colour on my face!”

Strep. “Well, if you won’t, not another mouthful
shall you have from me, you or your shaft-horse, or
your leader. Out you go, bag and baggage.”

Phet. “As you please. My great-uncle Megacles,
I am sure, won’t let me want for a horse.”

The old man, however, was not going to be beaten
by this refusal. If his son wouldn’t learn, he would
learn himself, though he doubted whether he was
clever enough to acquire these subtleties, However,
he took his courage in his hands, and knocked at the
. door of the Reflectory. The knock was answered
by a disciple, who rebuked the visitor for the unman-
neal loudness of his kick. “You made,” he said,

“such a fine thing of mine to miscarry.”

8