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Updated: June 16, 2025
So they kept playing at cross-purposes, without either getting much out of the other. Jawleyford's intimacy with Lord Scamperdale seemed to have diminished with propinquity, for he now no longer talked of him 'Scamperdale this, and Scamperdale that Scamperdale, with whom he could do anything he liked'; but he called him 'My Lord Scamperdale, and spoke of him in a reverent and becoming way.
Spare ribs, liver and bacon, sausages, black puddings, &c. all very good in their way, but which came with a bad grace after the comforts of Jog's, the elegance of Puffington's, and the early splendour of Jawleyford's. Our hero was a good deal put out, and felt as if he was imposed upon.
Whether it was the excellence of the beverage, or that his lordship was unaccustomed to wine-drinking, or that Jawleyford's conversation was unusually agreeable, we know not, but the summons to tea and coffee was disregarded, and when at length they did make their appearance, his lordship was what the ladies call rather elevated, and talked thicker than there was any occasion for.
The rest of the 'field' followed, the fall of the ground enabling them to see 'how thick Jawleyford was with my lord. Old Blossomnose, who, we should observe, had slipped away unperceived on Jawleyford's arrival, took a bird's-eye view from the rear. Naughty Blossom was riding the horse that ought to have gone in the 'chay' to Jawleyford Court.
The noise they made was heard outside; and on reaching the top of the spacious flight of steps, Sponge's piebald in charge of a dirty village lad, and Jawleyford's steeds with a sky-blue groom, were seen scuttling under the portoco, for the owners to mount. The Jawleyford cavalry was none of the best; but Jawleyford was pleased with it, and that is a great thing.
Jawleyford's coat went to 'hare, his waistcoat was fox and all 'fox. On a bright blue ground he sported such an infinity of 'heads, that there is no saying that he would have been safe in a kennel of unsteady hounds.
Jawleyford was a great patron of the chase; and his keeper, Watson, always had a bag-fox ready to turn down when my lord's hounds met there. Jawleyford's covers were never known to be drawn blank. Though they had been shot in the day before, they always held a fox the next if a fox was wanted.
'I'm at Jawleyford's, replied our friend. 'Indeed! Jawleyford's, are you? repeated Mr. Puffington. 'Good fellow, Jawleyford gentleman, Jawleyford. How long do you stay? 'Why, I haven't made up my mind, replied Sponge. 'Have no thoughts of budging at present. 'Ah, well good quarters, said Mr. Puffington, who now smelt a rat; 'good quarters nice girls fine fortune fine place, Jawleyford Court.
But Jawleyford's thoughts were far from his book. He was sitting on thorns lest there might not be a proper guard of honour to receive Mr. Sponge at the entrance. Jawleyford, as we said before, was not the man to entertain unless he could do it 'properly'; and, as we all have our pitch-notes of propriety up to which we play, we may state that Jawleyford's note was a butler and two footmen.
'Not that I've seen, answered Puffington, adding, 'I thought, perhaps, you might come together. 'No, grunted Jack; 'he comes from Jawleyford's, you know; I'm from Woodmansterne. 'We'll go and see if he's come, observed Puffington, opening a door in the garden-wall, into which he had manoeuvred Jack, communicating with the courtyard of the stable.
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