Page:Cuthbert Bede--Little Mr Bouncer and Tales of College Life.djvu/284

264 between me and the page. I must "cram" at the last, I said, and make a shot for my degree. I was a bachelor, in danger, not only of losing my heart, but my B. A. also.

The fourth day came. I had inspected Mr. Spencer's carriage, in the coach-house; but the coat of arms had been so completely painted over that I was unable to make out anything. The carriage was nearly new—why should the arms have been obliterated? I rubbed off some of the paint with my thumb, and I discovered that the arms were surmounted by an Earl's coronet. Stranger still! Was Mr. Spencer travelling under false colours? or, was he a  who had bought the carriage at a sale, and therefore painted out the heraldry? But the appearance of the whole party was against this supposition. There was an air about the Dragons which showed them to be Dragons of gentle blood, while, as for Amy, she was every inch a lady! The mystery was increasing; and to all appearance, was as far from being solved as ever—at any rate by me.

What with the heat of the weather, and the fervency of my passion, I should have been completely prostrated with the oppression of this mystery, if the burden had much longer remained upon my mind; but, that same afternoon it was destined to be removed in a very unexpected manner.