Although as yet no one has dared to breathe a word to the lady herself, there are men, and a large number to boot, who, among themselves, vote her a nuisance; in fact they have been known to say that she is "One of the most infernal nuisances out. Always in the way. Never happy unless she is talking horse and hound, and for ever trying to catch some unfortunate novice2 'just to give her a lead here, or to open a gate there;' while to answer her questions a man needs to be a walking glossary3."
I am afraid there is a deal of truth in what these unappreciative men say, for Mrs. Polson before she was married had never got farther in the equestrian4 art than an occasional ride on a shaggy pony5 when staying with her aunt in Devonshire, or the haute école as practised up and down the King's Road at so much per hour when staying with her uncle at Brighton.
[Pg 128]
It was at the latter place that she met good-natured easy-going Joseph Polson; and when her father, who was rector of a small parish in Dorset, heard that his Letty had said "Yes" to a rich man, there were great rejoicings at the parsonage, for she was one of seven, and the living being by no means a large one, Mr. Becket found some difficulty in making both ends meet.
However, no sooner had she married Polson and settled down in Bullshire as the Member's wife, than she must needs become a hunting-woman, and, as a hunting-woman and the Member's wife, give herself airs. Perhaps among her acquaintances there is no one that she hates with such a cordial hatred6 as poor unoffending Mrs. Talford, for although when she meets her the greeting (on her side at all events) is most effusive7, still, deep down in her memory, rankles8 a speech that she once overheard Mrs. Talford make to her husband. She had come up rather late, just as the hounds were moving off, and the Colonel and his wife,[Pg 129] ignorant of her proximity9, were discussing her powers of riding.
"My dear," said the Colonel, "I have not seen Mrs. Polson. Have you?"
"No," replied Mrs. Talford; "I don't suppose she is coming; it's rather a stiff country to-day;" and then, laughing, "how glad young Mr. Bevan will be. He said that she tacked10 herself on to him at Deanfield the other day, and after she had bored his life out for more than an hour, and made him open at least twenty gates, she asked him to come over some day and look at her hunters. It's a pity somebody can't tell her that men hate being bothered in the hunting-field."
Mrs. Polson's sudden appearance stopped further conversation on the subject. But from her over-affectionate manner ever since, Mrs. Talford knows perfectly11 well that the unlucky speech went farther than it was intended.
"Good morning, Tom. Got the dog-pack out to-day, I see, looking none the worse for[Pg 130] Saturday," says Mrs. Polson as she rides up, followed by a groom12 bearing at his back a large sandwich-case, and at his saddle-bow a holster-flask filled with sherry and water (for the Member's wife does not see the fun of hunting without her luncheon13).
"Get away, good dog, get away; 'war hoss,'" to Bellman, who leaves the main body of the pack in order to make a closer inspection14 of Mrs. P. or the sandwich-case.
"Mornin', mum," replies old Tom, doffing15 his cap; and then to avoid further conversation he calls away Bellman and trots17 off to a distant point, bringing the hounds back at a walk to allow time for her to "collar someone else," as he puts it.
While he is away on his little tour we may just glance at the external appearance of the Member's wife. Certainly she is not a good riding figure, being of the order "dumpy," and her seat in the saddle reminds one strongly of a plum-pudding on a dish. Her habit is a close copy of Mrs. Talford's, with[Pg 131] the exception that it is much exaggerated. In the front of the collar, which is turned over, is displayed an elaborate necktie, with a fox's head painted on crystal as a pin, two heads of the same pattern serving as studs for her wristbands. She also affects the hunt-button, plain brass18, with "B.H." in a monogram19: and a hat-guard made of a small gold chain, secured to a most curly-brimmed hat by a fox's tooth, completes the dress; while the hunting-crop she carries in her fat little pudgy hand is more fitted for a First Whip than a lady, being, both heavy and cumbersome20.
Tom evidently knows her pretty well, for before he returns from his self-imposed trot16 to his original place, Mrs. Polson has "collared someone else," and is making herself agreeable (or trying to) to two strangers who are staying with the Master for a week, and whom she has met at dinner at Lappington. A small group standing21 a little way off, after bowing, smile among themselves and pity the [Pg 132]innocent strangers who, as young Bevan says, are "being let in for a day in waiting." "It's a shame of Lappington not to have put them on their guard," he continues; "I shall tell him so."
"She landed you once, Bevan, did not she?" asks another, laughing.
"Yes, but never again," is the reply. "Five-and-twenty gates to open, a treatise22 on scent23, the pedigree of every hound in the pack, and some weak sherry-and-water, hardly compensate24 one for missing one of the best things of the season. By gad25, we never saw hounds from the time they found till they killed, and yet to hear the woman talk, you would fancy she was in the first flight all the way. Look out, she is bearing down on us;" and the little group disperse26, each one seemingly having caught sight of a man in the distance that he "must speak to for a moment."
Time's up now, and they move off to the big wood, Mrs. P. closely attended by the two[Pg 133] strangers, to whom she has promised to show the country. They feel obliged, or rather under an obligation to her, and do not like to leave her side, though both think they would rather see the country for themselves without a cicerone. It is her day all over, for it is even betting they do not get out of the wood; and even if they do, what so convenient as a false turn down a ride that leads to nowhere? By the time they get outside hounds will be well away, and the only chance of catching27 them will be through that line of gates that Mrs. Polson knows so well.
As they come up to the wood the trio find their progress barred by a low rail, over which Tom has popped, followed by a good many of the field. The two strangers naturally suppose that so great a sportswoman as Mrs. Polson will make nothing of a small obstacle like the one before them, so one politely gives her a lead over, turning round on the other side to say: "It's rather a boggy28 place on the[Pg 134] left, but if you jump well to the right you will find it quite firm," while the other holds back till the lady has successfully negotiated the fence.
They are a little surprised when she says, in the blandest29 possible tones: "I hope you will not think me a bore, but there is nothing I dislike so much as jumping in cold blood. It only takes it out of one's horse for nothing. If you would not mind taking that rail down—it drops off easily—I should be so much obliged."
This necessitates30 someone dismounting, and the man who gave the lead over has to get off and stand in a pool of muddy water, which he feels oozing31 through his boots, while he struggles manfully with the offending rail. At last his efforts are successful. Mrs. Poison gallops32 triumphantly33 through, splashing him all over as she passes.
"Oh, I am so sorry," she exclaims, when she sees what she has done. "It is my naughty horse; he can't bear to be kept waiting."
[Pg 135]
The splashed one is too polite to say much, but that does not prevent him from "thinking a lot;" and as he wipes the mud from his face he registers a vow34 to give my lady the slip on the first possible opportunity. This comes shortly, for a few minutes later there is an unmistakable find, and the hounds are seen tearing through the underwood to the right.
"This way—this way," pants Mrs. Polson, making the best of her road for a gate in an exactly opposite direction; "they are sure to turn to the left, and we shall be all right."
A view holloa on the right, followed by Tom's horn, decides the mud-bespattered gentleman, and he turns off, galloping35 down a ride which, as far as he can judge, leads to where he hears the hounds. He arrives just in time to see them top the bank, and when he finds himself well out of the wood, with some seven or eight men and one lady, who have got an equally good start, he congratulates himself on having escaped, and thinks[Pg 136] how his friend must be gnashing his teeth. Luck, however, favours Mrs. Polson, for the hounds swing round to the left, and she and her attendant squire36 ride through a hand-gate just as they go by. "There, I told you we should be all right," she says, highly gratified with herself, yet the while casting an anxious glance round the field for a gate which is nowhere visible.
"For'ard on; he's away over the plough, Tom," shouts Sir John as he gallops up; and they race him down towards a most uncompromising-looking stake and bound. Mrs. Talford is first over, and her husband follows close in her wake. The emancipated37 sportsman goes next, and barely saves a fall; then comes a farmer on a stout38 cob, who goes crash through the whole fabric39, rolling himself far into the next field, while the cob reposes40 in the ditch. However he has made a most convenient gap, at which the Member's wife keeps a score or more impatient people waiting, while she, holding her steed tight[Pg 137] by the head, vainly endeavours to summon up sufficient courage to ride him over the place.
"Hang the woman; she's an impostor," mutters Stranger No. 2, now thoroughly41 exasperated42, as he sees his friend sailing merrily away in the distance.
"Oh dear, I am afraid you must think me very tiresome," said Mrs. Polson to him; "I never knew my horse to refuse before; there must be something wrong with him. Please don't wait for me;" and, turning to her sandwich-bearer: "John, follow me down into the lane; I am afraid one of the horse's shoes are loose." Again, to her squire: "Please go on, I will catch you up again directly;" and she goes off to the road, where of course John finds the shoes, as he knew he would, perfectly tight. "Thank goodness for that," thinks her ex-equerry-in-waiting, making best haste to get to the hounds again; and as he manages to come up with them while Tom is making a cast, he tells his host the Master that he owes[Pg 138] him one for not putting him up to Mrs. P. and her riding powers.
Sir John laughs and says: "All right, old boy, you won't see her again till we have killed or lost and are going to draw for a fresh one. She will have finished her lunch by then; but I daresay there will be some sherry-and-water left for you as a reward."
Before his marriage the hon. Member for Bullshire was a most punctual man; but now, somehow, he always turns up late, and is seldom, if ever, seen at the meet, or till hounds are running, when he will suddenly appear riding as forward as ever. When asked by his friends the reason for this strange behaviour, he merely winks43 and looks over towards where his estimable spouse44 may be seen in the far distance pounding along through the gates, followed by the faithful John with the luncheon.
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1
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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2
novice
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| adj.新手的，生手的 | |
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3
glossary
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| n.注释词表；术语汇编 | |
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equestrian
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| adj.骑马的；n.马术 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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6
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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7
effusive
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| adj.热情洋溢的；感情(过多)流露的 | |
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8
rankles
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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9
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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10
tacked
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| 用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝 | |
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11
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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12
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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13
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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14
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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15
doffing
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| n.下筒，落纱v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的现在分词 ) | |
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16
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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17
trots
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| 小跑，急走( trot的名词复数 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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18
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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monogram
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| n.字母组合 | |
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20
cumbersome
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| adj.笨重的，不便携带的 | |
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21
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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22
treatise
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| n.专著；(专题)论文 | |
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23
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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24
compensate
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| vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消 | |
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25
gad
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| n.闲逛；v.闲逛 | |
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26
disperse
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| vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散 | |
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27
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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28
boggy
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| adj.沼泽多的 | |
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29
blandest
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| adj.（食物）淡而无味的( bland的最高级 )；平和的；温和的；无动于衷的 | |
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30
necessitates
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| 使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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31
oozing
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的现在分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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32
gallops
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| （马等）奔驰，骑马奔驰( gallop的名词复数 ) | |
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33
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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34
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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35
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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36
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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37
emancipated
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| adj.被解放的，不受约束的v.解放某人（尤指摆脱政治、法律或社会的束缚）( emancipate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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40
reposes
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的第三人称单数 ) | |
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41
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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42
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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43
winks
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| v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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44
spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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