Granting such meteorological affinities5, it is needless to observe that a steeple-chase is usually contested in the bitterest possible weather, with a cutting east wind.
The great event at Market Harborough was no exception to this general rule, and the important day was ushered6 in by about as unpleasant a morning as any gentleman could desire for the purpose of exposing himself in a silk jacket and racing7 leathers about the thickness of kid gloves. Frequent storms swept across the sky, bearing with them heavy showers of mingled8 sleet9 and hail, which stung the unprotected face like pins and needles. It was a bad day to see; a bad day to hear; above all, a bad day to ride.
Struggles observed: “It was lucky they were not out hunting.”
Behold10, then, between the storms, under a delusive11 gleam of sunshine, about two P.M., half-a-dozen canvas booths erected12 in a large, sloppy13 grass-field, within a few miles of Market Harborough. Behold, congregated15 around the same, a motley group of tramps, list-sellers, vagrants16 of every description, gipsies, and card-sharpers. Behold a few jolly yeomen and farmers, pulling their wet collars over their mouths to concentrate the fumes17 of that last glass of brandy, and poking18 their horses about in the crowd, to stumble ever and anon over certain mysterious ropes, placed, for no apparent purpose, in everybody’s way. Behold two or three carriages of the gentlefolks herding19 together, as if rather ashamed of their company, and a pretty face or two, amongst which you may recognise that of Miss Dove, a little paler than usual, peeping out from under a multiplicity of wrappers, with an air of vague astonishment20, the owner having been on the ground for more than an hour, and nothing done yet. Behold also Mr. Tiptop, galloping21 his master’s best hack23 as fast as the animal can lay legs to the ground, in the direction of a dripping marquee, near which there is a little knot of gentlemen in waterproof24 clothing, who seem to constitute an assemblage of their own. Let us lift the dank, heavy sackcloth, and peep in.
Mr. Sawyer, paper-booted, silk-capped, and clad in a gorgeous raiment of plum-colour, with face, too, on which the cares of an empire seem to sit, is “spread-eagled” in a weighing machine, vainly trying to keep his spurs off the wet straw, and to nurse on his uncomfortable lap a saddle, a bridle25, a breastplate, a martingale, five pounds of dead weight, and a whip, of which the top is ornamented26 with an elaborate and massive design. He is what he calls “weighing in”; and the process appears to be troublesome, not to say painful.
Behind him, and preparing for the same ordeal27, is Major Brush, tucking himself and his under-garment, with considerable difficulty, into a pair of extremely tight leathers, he having selected this most inappropriate shelter as his dressing-room.
The Honourable28 Crasher, with a large cigar in his mouth, is watching the proceedings29 vacantly, having to go through them in his turn; and a quiet, clean-shaved man, with a keen eye, who is prepared for the fray30, but has wisely wrapped himself up once more in a long greatcoat, is busy with his betting-book. This worthy31, who answers to the name of Stripes, has come a hundred miles to ride Mr. Savage’s bay horse Luxury. Judging from the use he makes of his pencil, he seems to think he has a good chance of coming in first. Already there has been a wrangle32 as to whether he is qualified33 to ride as a gentleman; but the only argument against his pretensions34 to that title being the superiority of his horsemanship, the objection has been suffered to fall through.
The stewards35 will have an easier task than they expected. The race has not filled well, and will probably not produce half-a-dozen starters. As the Harborough tradespeople say, “It’s a poor affair.” Nevertheless, a deal of money has been wagered37 on it; and the devoted38 few are resolved to do their best.
Under the lee of an outhouse—the only one, by the way, within a mile—old Isaac is walking Wood-Pigeon carefully up and down, with his usual imperturbable39 demeanour. It is hard to make out what he thinks of the whole affair—whether he esteems40 it an unheard-of piece of tomfoolery, or looks upon it as a means of making an addition to his yearly wages. Under either contingency41, he has done his duty by Wood-Pigeon. Beneath all that clothing, the horse is as fine as a star; and even Mr. Varnish42 could not find fault with his condition. That worthy, however, is gone to ride a horse of Napoleon the Third’s, at Chantilly, and is supposed by his admirers to be staying with the Emperor at Compiègne, for the event.
Mr. Tiptop and old Isaac are barely on speaking terms.
Presently, a heavier shower than any of its predecessors43 sweeps across the scene; and the only steward36 who can be got to attend, not seeing the fun of waiting any longer, has given the gentlemen-riders a hint that, if they are not mounted and ready in ten minutes, he will go home to luncheon44. The threat creates considerable confusion and dismay. “Lend me a fourteen-pound saddle!” exclaims one; “Where are my girths?” shouts another; “I can’t ride him without a martingale!” groans45 a third; “Where’s my whip? and has any one seen my horse?” asks a fourth: and, for a time, things look less like a start than before. Nevertheless, the steward is known to be a man of his word; and his announcement produces the desired effect at last.
Let us take advantage of Parson Dove’s kind offer, and, placing ourselves on the box of his carriage, abstract our attention from his pretty daughter inside, and take a good view of the proceedings.
A preliminary gallop22, in the wind’s eye, with a sharp sleet driving in their faces, prepares the heroes for their agreeable task. Flags mark out the extent and the direction of “danger’s dark career.” Starting in this large grass-field, they jump a hedge and ditch into yonder less extensive pasture, fenced by double posts and rails, which, successfully negotiated, brings them, after a succession of fair hunting leaps, to The Brook46. Fourteen feet of water is a tolerable effort for a horse, everywhere but in print; and as the weather will probably have wet the jockeys through before they arrive at this obstacle, it matters little whether they go in or over. After that, the fences are larger and more dangerous, an exceedingly awkward “double” enclosing the next field but one to the run-in.
The Parson thinks the ground injudiciously selected. As he had no voice in the matter, it is as well to agree with him. Mrs. Dove’s attention is a little distracted by the hamper47 with the luncheon; and Cissy hopes fervently48 that “nobody will be hurt.”
Let us count the starters. One, two, three, four, five, six. Mr. Crasher’s Chance, blue, and white sleeves (owner); Major Brush’s Down-upon-’em, “gorge de pigeon,” crimson49 cap (owner); Mr. Savage’s Luxury, scarlet50, and black cap (Mr. Stripes); Mr. Brown’s Egg-Flip, white (owner); Mr. Green’s Comedy, by Comus, black and all black (Mr. Snooks); and lastly, Mr. Sawyer’s Wood-Pigeon, plum-colour, and blue cap (owner).
The latter’s appearance excites considerable admiration51, as he takes his breathing canter. Wood-Pigeon is a remarkably52 handsome animal; and Mr. Sawyer, at a little distance, looks more like a jockey than any of them, with the exception of the redoubtable53 Stripes.
Old Isaac goes up to his master for a few last words before the flag drops. “You mind the double comin’ in,” says the wary54 old dodger55. “Close under the tree’s the best place, ’cause there’s no holes in the bank; and, pray ye now, do ye sit still!”
A faint exclamation56 from Miss Dove proclaims they are off. Out with the double-glasses! From the carriage, we can see them the whole way round.
One, two, three! They fly the first fence in a string, Chance leading. The Honourable means to make running all through. Wood-Pigeon is a little rash; but Mr. Sawyer handles him to admiration. He goes in and out of the double posts and rails like a pony57.
This difficulty disposes of Mr. Snooks, who lets Comedy by Comus out of his hand, falls, and never appears again.
The others increase the pace, as the lie of the ground takes them a little downhill towards the brook. As they near it, you might cover them with a sheet; but, while the whole increase their velocity58, Chance and Wood-Pigeon, the latter followed closely by Mr. Stripes on Luxury, single themselves out from the rest. All three get over in their stride; and a faint shout rises from the crowd on the distant hill. Egg-Flip jumps short, and remains59 on the further bank with his back broken, the centre of a knot of foot-people, who congregate14 round him in a moment, from no one knows where. Down-upon-’em struggles in and out again, striding over the adjacent water meadow as if full of running; but Brush is far more blown than his horse. His cap is off, his reins60 are entangled61, he has lost a stirrup, and it is obvious that the Major’s chance is out.
The race now lies between the leading three; and Crasher, who has great confidence in Chance’s pedigree and stoutness62, forces the running tremendously. He and Sawyer take their leaps abreast63, the latter riding very quietly and carefully, mindful of old Isaac’s advice, to “sit still.” Luxury is waiting close upon them.
“That fellow has been at the game before,” remarks Parson Dove, eyeing Mr. Stripes through his glasses, and struck with admiration at the artistic64 manner in which that gentleman pulls his horse together for the ridge-and-furrow.
The Parson is not far wrong. Few professionals would care to give Mr. Stripes the usual allowance of five pounds.
“Wood-Pigeon ... chucks his rider into the field before him.”
Thus they near the “double”—the last obstacle of any importance. It consists of two ditches, and a strong staked-and-bound fence on a bank. No horse can fly it all in his stride, after galloping nearly four miles. Perhaps that is the reason why Stripes, who knows he is on a quick one as well as fast one, shoots a little to the front, and comes at it at such an awful pace, seducing65 his two adversaries66, by the force of example, into the same indiscretion. Crasher, who never “loses his stupidity,” as he calls his presence of mind, diverges67 for a rail that he spies where the ditch is narrowest, takes the chance of breaking that or being killed, and going at it forty-miles-an-hour, smashes it like paper, and succeeds, as Chance rises not an inch, in covering both ditches at a fly. He lands almost abreast of Luxury, who has struck back at the fence with the rapidity and activity of a cat.
Mr. Sawyer, though remembering the place under the tree, dare not pull his horse off enough, lest he should lose too much ground, and Wood-Pigeon, who is a little blown, attempting to do it all at once, lands with both fore-feet in the farther ditch, chucks his rider into the field before him, and then rolls over the plum-coloured jacket in an extremely uncomfortable form. The horse rises, looking wild and scared; not so the rider: “He’s down!” exclaim the crowd; but their attention is so taken up by a slashing68 race home between Crasher and Stripes, in which the former is out-ridden by the latter, and beaten by half-a-length on the post, that probably no one present but Miss Dove knew who it was that was down. As the plum-colour still lay motionless, poor Cissy turned very pale and sick, and then began to cry.
Our friend was not dead, however, very far from it—only stunned69, and his collar-bone broken. He recovered sufficiently70 to be taken past the Doves’ carriage before Cissy had done drying her eyes; and although he was not able to join the dinner-party at his hotel, with which the day’s sports concluded, and at which an unheard-of quantity of champagne71 was consumed, I have been credibly72 informed that he partook of luncheon within less than a fortnight at Dove-cote Rectory, and was seen afterwards with his arm in a sling73, taking a tête-à-tête walk to look for violets with the daughter of the house.
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1
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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affinities
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| n.密切关系( affinity的名词复数 )；亲近；（生性）喜爱；类同 | |
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6
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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8
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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sleet
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| n.雨雪；v.下雨雪，下冰雹 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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delusive
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| adj.欺骗的，妄想的 | |
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12
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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sloppy
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| adj.邋遢的，不整洁的 | |
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14
congregate
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| v.(使)集合，聚集 | |
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congregated
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| （使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
vagrants
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| 流浪者( vagrant的名词复数 )； 无业游民； 乞丐； 无赖 | |
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17
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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herding
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| 中畜群 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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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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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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hack
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| n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳 | |
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24
waterproof
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| n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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31
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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wrangle
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| vi.争吵 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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stewards
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| （轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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wagered
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| v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的过去式和过去分词 )；保证，担保 | |
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38
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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imperturbable
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| adj.镇静的 | |
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esteems
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| n.尊敬，好评( esteem的名词复数 )v.尊敬( esteem的第三人称单数 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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41
contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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42
varnish
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| n.清漆；v.上清漆；粉饰 | |
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predecessors
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| n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身 | |
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44
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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45
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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46
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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47
hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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48
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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49
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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50
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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51
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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52
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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53
redoubtable
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| adj.可敬的；可怕的 | |
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54
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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55
dodger
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| n.躲避者；躲闪者；广告单 | |
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56
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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57
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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58
velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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59
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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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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61
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
stoutness
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| 坚固，刚毅 | |
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63
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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65
seducing
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| 诱奸( seduce的现在分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷 | |
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66
adversaries
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| n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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67
diverges
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| 分开( diverge的第三人称单数 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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68
slashing
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| adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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69
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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70
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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71
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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72
credibly
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| ad.可信地；可靠地 | |
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73
sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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