Most hospitable2 of entertainers is Colonel Talford, who occupies The House; and with[Pg 114] his pretty wife to assist him, there is little fear of any complaints being heard as to the quality or quantity of the breakfast. Equally certain is old Tom that a real straight-necked good-hearted fox is ready for him either in the Home Wood or Ravenshill Copse, for the Colonel makes it a rule with his keepers that there shall be foxes, and they know well that his rules are like the laws of the Medes and Persians—unalterable.
"No foxes, no keepers," is what he says; and if the quarry3 is not forthcoming, unless a very good reason can be given, go they have to.
He once came upon Velveteens in the act of burying a fox that he had trapped and knocked on the head—or, to be more accurate, Mrs. Talford, who was riding back from the Dairy Farm, saw the funeral going on, and told her husband. The man was a new keeper, who had been with him barely a month, and as a keeper was considered quite first-class. But there and then the Colonel[Pg 115] went out, had the fox dug up, and made the man take it over to Sir John Lappington, riding himself all the way behind him to see that he did it.
Through the main street of the village they went in procession, the men (for it was evening) turning out and hooting5 the unfortunate vulpecide; and when he had delivered his burden and apologised, the Colonel said: "Now you can go back and pack up your things; this is your last day in my service." His wages were paid that night, and in spite of all entreaties6, the next day he left Colonel Talford and Bullshire for ever.
It is a lovely morning as Tom rides up with his beauties in front of the house, and, saluting7 the host and hostess, tosses off the glass of sparkling ale that is handed to him. There had been a catch of frost on the Monday, and folks learned in weather-lore had predicted a hard time; but nothing came of it, for a shower of rain on Tuesday night had utterly8 routed the destroyer of sport; and[Pg 116] on the Thursday at Wildmere it is as fine a hunting-day as one could wish—if anything perhaps a shade too warm.
"We must give them a few minutes, Sir John," says Mrs. Talford to the Master, who has just arrived. "The Melton train is late, and there are always a few who honour us on this occasion by trying to cut us all down."
"Certainly, Mrs. Talford," replies Lappington, smiling and taking out his watch. "We will give them a quarter of an hour; but you need not be so fearfully sarcastic9 about the Meltonians. I think it is generally the other way. If I remember rightly, I have seen a lady on a horse called Queen Bee who generally requires a great deal of cutting down, and I have heard it said that this same lady is impossible to beat."
"Nonsense, Sir John; you know that if I do manage to get over the country it is all the Queen's doing, not mine. She's a dear, is not she? But come in and have something; my husband wants to see you about drawing the[Pg 117] Copse first," rejoins Mrs. Talford, leading the way into the dining-room, and evidently pleased at the Master's flattery.
In a quarter of an hour, the Melton detachment having come up, the signal is given to move, and a long cavalcade10 trot11 off for Ravenshill. A minute or two later two horses are seen cantering across the grass to catch up the hounds; one carries Colonel Talford, and the other (the redoubtable12 Queen Bee) his wife.
As they come up and press forward to where Tom's white head is seen bobbing in the middle of the pack, men point her out, and you hear a whisper of "There she is, that's her—riding the same horse too; by Jove, old fellow, it's all very well to say 'only a woman,' but if you can beat her you'll do. Why, the last time we met here she cut us all down and hung us up to dry; only rode one horse all day. Dick Valpy had three out, and you know how he can ride; but I'm blessed if he didn't get nearly drowned in[Pg 118] the brook13, while she sailed over it as if it was nothing. We'd been running for forty minutes then, but she can save her horse as well as ride, I can tell you."
Some who have not seen her express their doubts, and vow14 that "No woman ever beat them yet, and, by gad15, sir, they never shall;" but they do not know Mrs. Talford or Queen Bee, and before the day is over they will tell another tale.
Yet you would never take her for a hard rider, though anyone at a glance can see she is a finished horsewoman. Nothing could possibly be quieter than her turn-out. A well-fitting, well-cut, rough cloth habit, rather short; a neat white silk handkerchief tied and folded round a high stand-up linen16 collar, just showing, like a man's scarf, where the habit is made with a step; a small black felt hat, of the kind known as a "billycock," covering her well-shaped head, the hair of which is gathered into a small knot behind; while in her hand she carries a hunting-crop, made of a holly[Pg 119] that she herself cut from the lawn in front of the house.
Her seat is easy yet firm, and very square on her saddle. Those small hands too, which look as if they could hurt no living thing, can hold and control a puller with wondrous17 power, a fact her horses seem to recognise directly she takes up the reins18 of her bridle19, for they go so quietly under her hand that one is forced to wonder what it was that made them fret20 and tear in such a disagreeable way when Mrs. A—— or Lady B—— claimed them for their own, in the days before they found that they were "too much for them," and had to sell them to the Colonel at a discount.
With all this, as she, having ranged up alongside of the pack, pulls up Queen Bee into a trot, and pats the neck of that more than perfect animal, one cannot help a feeling of astonishment21 that so slight and delicate-looking a woman should be able to go so hard; and in our inmost hearts we feel that if we could lay claim to half as straight a course as[Pg 120] Mrs. Talford we should not hide our light quite so much under a bushel as she does.
They are close to the Copse now, and Mrs. Talford and the Colonel slip down to the far side with Charles; the right of proprietorship22 allowing this, which is courteously23 yet firmly forbidden to the rest of the field.
"Gentlemen," says the Master, "for your own sport I wish the whole of the left side and bottom of the covert24 kept free. It's a clear start either way, therefore I must beg you not to get for'ard. Give the fox a chance, and then, so long as you don't ride over the hounds, go as you like."
Someone suggests that the Colonel and his wife have gone down to the bottom, whereupon Sir John shuts him up by saying: "That, sir, is only another reason why nobody else should go. When we draw your coverts25 we will allow you to go where you like, and keep the rest out of your way."
As the individual happens to be a gentleman who has only that season come down to[Pg 121] Bullshire, and has not subscribed26 as yet to the hounds, the remark causes a general titter, and the man wishes he had not spoken.
His discomfiture27 is, however, of short duration, for at this instant the hounds find, and from the chorus and way they rattle28 him up and down the covert it is clear that they are not far behind their fox. Two rings round the Wood and he finds it too hot to hold him, so away he goes across the slope in full view of the whole field.
"Hold hard one moment, gentlemen," shouts the Master, as Tom, horn in hand, tops the wood fence, and claps the hounds on to the line.
"Now"—and a hundred or more horses are rattling29 down the hill towards the fence at the bottom.
Some visibly diminish their pace as they near the obstacle, and some make a determined30 point to the gate in the corner, which a friendly yeoman is holding open. But there is little time to notice all this, for the pace is[Pg 122] a cracker31, and the scent32 is breast-high. Two or three loose horses are careering about the next field, and two or three dismounted riders are running after them.
"Catch hold, sir," says young Simms, as he stops one of the horses and delivers him up to his owner; "catch hold—I can't stop;" and he is over the next bank and ditch before the spilt one has recovered the effects of his acrobatic performance.
Such a jam at the double post and rails! There are but three or four negotiable places, and everybody is racing33 for them madly. The Parson and the Doctor fly them together, and so shake themselves clear of the ruck, while a hard-riding Meltonian carries away a heap of them.
But where is Mrs. Talford?
There she is on the left, close to the hounds, yet well wide of them, slipping along with an easy grace, looking as if she was merely cantering, Queen Bee taking everything before her, and making as little of the fences as if[Pg 123] they were the lowest of hurdles34. How the deuce did she get there? everybody who has time to notice her wonders. But no one ever knows how she does get anywhere. No matter what sort of a start she gets, unless hopelessly thrown out Mrs. Talford before long is certain to be found sailing along in close proximity35 to the hounds.
Presently they come to a check in the road, but it is only for a minute, for Beadsman hits off the line on the far side, over the wall, and across the fallows. Some of the road-riders come up at this moment, and stare blankly at the wall. One, a stranger, seeing a lady, and not knowing who she is, vainly endeavours to open the gate (a low one), which is locked, and thereby36 prevents anybody else getting over.
"Thank you, sir; I think I can manage it," is all Mrs. Talford says in her quiet way, and in another minute the would-be "pew-opener" is greeted with a sight of Queen Bee's hind4 feet, and the lady has resumed her former place with the hounds.
[Pg 124]
"Well done, Mrs. Colonel!" says old Tom (he always calls her Mrs. Colonel). "We shall show them the road again to-day. It's the old line, straight for Marston. Hold up," to his horse, who dropped his hind legs in a ditch. "Yonder he goes," as he catches sight of the fox making the best of his way up the rising ground in the distance; and, contrary to his usual custom, he catches hold of the hounds and lifts them for nearly half a mile, thereby cutting off a big slice.
"Oh Tom, you shouldn't have done that," says Mrs. Talford, as soon as they have settled on to the line again. "They were hunting beautifully."
"Don't mean anyone to get in front of the Queen, Mrs. Colonel, this time," is all he vouchsafes37 as they gallop38 down a lane, thereby saving their horses, and nicking in again at the corner. A holloa from the right, close in front of the hounds, shows the rest of the field that the end is approaching, and the Melton detachment are riding their hardest to catch[Pg 125] the Bullshire lady; but the only men who have as yet succeeded are Mr. Halston, the Master, and old Simms.
"It's over the brook, for a hundred, sir," shouts Tom, and he is right. With a splash that sends the water sparkling high in the air, the whole pack dash in, and are away on the other side racing in view.
"Surely she's not going to ride at that," men say to each other as Mrs. Talford catches her mare39 by the head.
But she is; and, with Sir John on the one side and the Parson on the other, she skims over like a bird. Old Tom's horse is done, and refuses, but being crammed40 at it again just gets over with a scramble41. The rest ride at it in a body, some in, some over; some think better of it and turn back; but before any but the leading quartet are well over, Sir John's "who-whoop" rings out clear and loud, and tells them that they have again been beaten by "only a woman."
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1
fixture
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| n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款 | |
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2
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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3
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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4
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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5
hooting
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩 | |
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6
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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7
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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8
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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9
sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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10
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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11
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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12
redoubtable
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| adj.可敬的；可怕的 | |
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13
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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14
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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15
gad
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| n.闲逛；v.闲逛 | |
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16
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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17
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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18
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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19
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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20
fret
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| v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损 | |
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21
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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22
proprietorship
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| n.所有（权）；所有权 | |
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23
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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24
covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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25
coverts
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| n.隐蔽的，不公开的，秘密的( covert的名词复数 )；复羽 | |
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26
subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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27
discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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28
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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29
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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30
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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31
cracker
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| n.（无甜味的）薄脆饼干 | |
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32
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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33
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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34
hurdles
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| n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛 | |
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35
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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36
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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37
vouchsafes
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的第三人称单数 )；允诺 | |
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38
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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39
mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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40
crammed
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| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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41
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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