But the question is, How am I to alter his purpose?
Well, I will wait awhile, and see if he mentions it.' I waited most anxiously, from hour to hour; but not a word was spoken, on that or any other subject, to me.

He whistled and talked to his dogs, and wandered from room to room, much the same as on the previous day.

At last I began to think I must introduce the subject myself, and was pondering how to bring it about, when John unwittingly came to my relief with the following message from the coachman: 'Please, sir, Richard says one of the horses has got a very bad cold, and he thinks, sir, if you could make it convenient to go the day after to-morrow, instead of to-morrow, he could physic it to-day, so as--' 'Confound his impudence!' interjected the master.
'Please, sir, he says it would be a deal better if you could,' persisted John, 'for he hopes there'll be a change in the weather shortly, and he says it's not likely, when a horse is so bad with a cold, and physicked and all--' 'Devil take the horse!' cried the gentleman.

'Well, tell him I'll think about it,' he added, after a moment's reflection.

He cast a searching glance at me, as the servant withdrew, expecting to see some token of deep astonishment and alarm; but, being previously prepared, I preserved an aspect of stoical indifference.