abad
idea
,
"
he
thought
to
himself
;
and
the
idea
took
root
and
grew
with
him
.
Far
down
,
very
far
down
,
so
far
that
nobody
had
ever
seen
it
,
nor
himself
ever
expected
it
,
there
was
a
lurking
instinct
in
"
Beauty
,
"
—
the
instinct
that
had
prompted
him
,
when
he
sent
the
King
at
the
Grand
Military
cracker
,
with
that
prayer
,
"
Kill
me
if
you
like
,
but
do
n't
fail
me
!
"
—
which
,
out
of
the
languor
and
pleasure-loving
temper
of
his
unruffled
life
,
had
a
vague
,
restless
impulse
towards
the
fiery
perils
and
nervous
excitement
of
a
sterner
and
more
stirring
career
.
It
was
only
vague
,
for
he
was
naturally
very
indolent
,
very
gentle
,
very
addicted
to
taking
all
things
passively
,
and
very
strongly
of
persuasion
that
to
rouse
yourself
for
anything
was
a
niaiserie
of
the
strongest
possible
folly
;
but
it
was
there
.
It
always
is
there
with
men
of
Bertie
's
order
,
and
only
comes
to
light
when
the
match
of
danger
is
applied
to
the
touchhole
.
Then
,
though
"
the
Tenth
do
n't
dance
,
"
perhaps
,
with
graceful
indolent
dandy
insolence
,
they
can
fight
as
no
others
fight
when
Boot
and
Saddle
rings
through
the
morning
air
,
and
the
slashing
charge
sweeps
down
with
lightning
speed
and
falcon
swoop
.
"
In
the
case
of
a
Countess
,
sir
,
the
imagination
is
more
excited
,
"
says
Dr.
Johnson
,
who
had
,
I
suppose
,
little
opportunity
of
putting
that
doctrine
for
amatory
intrigues
to
the
test
in
actual
practice
.
Bertie
,
who
had
many
opportunities
,
differed
with
him
.
He
found
love-making
in
his
own
polished
tranquil
circles
apt
to
become
a
little
dull
,
and
was
more
amused
by
Laura
Lelas
.
However
,
he
was
sworn
to
the
service
of
the
Guenevere
,
and
he
drove
his
mail-phaeton
down
that
day
to
another
sort
of
Richmond
dinner
,
of
which
the
Lady
was
the
object
instead
of
the
Zu-Zu
.
She
enjoyed
thinking
herself
the
wife
of
a
jealous
and
inexorable
lord
,
and
arranged
her
flirtations
to
evade
him
with
a
degree
of
skill
so
great
,
that
it
was
lamentable
it
should
be
thrown
away
on
an
agricultural
husband
,
who
never
dreamt
that
the
"
Fidelio
—
III
—
TstnegeR
,
"
which
met
his
eyes
in
the
innocent
face
of
his
Times
,
referred
to
an
appointment
at
a
Regent-street
modiste
's
,
or
that
the
advertisement
—
"
White
wins
—
Twelve
,
"
meant
that
if
she
wore
white
camellias
in
her
hair
at
the
opera
,
she
would
give
"
Beauty
"
a
meeting
after
it
.
Lady
Guenevere
was
very
scrupulous
never
to
violate
conventionalities
.
And
yet
she
was
a
little
fast
—
very
fast
,
indeed
,
and
was
a
queen
of
one
of
the
fastest
sets
;
but
then
—
O
sacred
shield
of
a
wife
's
virtue
—
she
could
not
have
borne
to
lose
her
very
admirable
position
,
her
very
magnificent
jointure
,
and
,
above
all
,
the
superb
Guenevere
diamonds
!
I
do
n't
know
anything
that
will
secure
a
husband
from
an
infidelity
so
well
as
very
fine
family
jewels
,
when
such
an
infidelity
would
deprive
his
wife
of
them
for
ever
.
Many
women
will
leave
their
homes
,
their
lords
,
their
children
,
and
their
good
name
,
if
the
fancy
take
them
;
but
there
is
not
one
in
a
million
who
will
so
far
forget
herself
as
to
sever
from
pure
rose-diamonds
.
So
,
for
sake
of
the
diamonds
,
she
and
Bertie
had
their
rendezvous
under
the
rose
.
This
day
she
went
down
to
see
a
Dowager
Baroness
aunt
,
out
at
Hampton
Court
—
really
went
:
she
was
never
so
imprudent
as
to
falsify
her
word
,
and
with
the
Dowager
,
who
was
very
deaf
and
purblind
,
dined
at
Richmond
,
while
the
world
thought
her
dining
at
Hampton
Court
.
It
was
nothing
to
any
one
,
since
none
knew
it
to
gossip
about
,
that
Cecil
joined
her
there
:
that
over
the
Star
and
Garter
repast
they
arranged
their
meeting
at
Baden
next
month
:
that
while
the
Baroness
dozed
over
the
grapes
and
peaches
—
she
had
been
a
beauty
herself
,
in
her
own
day
,
and
still
had
her
sympathies
—
they
went
on
the
river
,
in
the
little
toy
that
he
kept
there
for
his
fair
friends
'
use
,
floating
slowly
along
in
the
coolness
of
evening
,
while
the
stars
loomed
out
in
the
golden
trail
of
the
sunset
,
and
doing
a
graceful
scene
à
la
Musset
and
Meredith
,
with
a
certain
languid
amusement
in
the
assumption
of
those
poetic
guises
,
for
they
were
of
the
world
worldly
;
and
neither
believed
very
much
in
the
other
.
When
you
have
just
dined
well
,
and
there
has
been
no
fault
in
the
clarets
,
and
the
scene
is
pretty
,
if
it
be
not
the
Nile
in
the
after-glow
,
the
Arno
in
the
moonlight
,
or
the
Loire
in
vintage-time
,
but
only
the
Thames
above
Richmond
,
it
is
the
easiest
thing
in
the
world
to
feel
a
touch
of
sentiment
when
you
have
a
beautiful
woman
beside
you
who
expects
you
to
feel
it
.
The
evening
was
very
hot
and
soft
.
There
was
a
low
south
wind
,
the
water
made
a
pleasant
murmur
,
wending
among
its
sedges
.
She
was
very
lovely
,
moreover
,
lying
back
there
among
her
laces
and
Indian
shawls
,
with
the
sunset
in
the
brown
depths
of
her
eyes
and
on
her
delicate
cheek
.
And
Bertie
,
as
he
looked
on
his
liege
lady
,
really
had
a
glow
of
the
old
,
real
,
foolish
,
forgotten
feeling
stir
at
his
heart
,
as
he
gazed
on
her
in
the
half-light
,
and
thought
,
almost
wistfully
,
"
If
the
Jews
were
down
on
me
to-morrow
,
would
she
really
care
,
I
wonder
?
"
Really
care
?
Bertie
knew
his
world
and
its
women
too
well
to
deceive
himself
in
his
heart
about
the
answer
.
Nevertheless
,
he
asked
the
question
.
"
Would
you
care
much
,
chère
belle
?
"
"
Care
what
?
"
"
If
I
came
to
grief
,
—
went
to
the
bad
,
you
know
;
dropped
out
of
the
world
altogether
?
"
She
raised
her
splendid
eyes
in
amaze
,
with
a
delicate
shudder
through
all
her
laces
.
"
Bertie
!
you
would
break
my
heart
!
What
can
you
dream
of
?
"
"
Oh
,
lots
of
us
end
so
.
How
is
a
man
to
end
?
"
answered
Bertie
,
philosophically
,
while
his
thoughts
still
ran
off
in
a
speculative
scepticism
.
"
Is
there
a
heart
to
break
?
"
Her
ladyship
looked
at
him
,
and
laughed
.
"
A
Werter
in
the
Guards
!
I
do
n't
think
the
rôle
will
suit
either
you
or
your
corps
,
Bertie
;
but
if
you
do
it
,
pray
do
it
artistically
.
I
remember
,
last
year
,
driving
through
Asnières
,
when
they
had
found
a
young
man
in
the
Seine
;
he
was
very
handsome
,
beautifully
dressed
,
and
he
held
fast
in
his
clenched
hand
a
gold
lock
of
hair
.
Now
,
there
was
a
man
who
knew
how
to
die
gracefully
,
and
make
his
death
an
idyl
!
"
"
Died
for
a
woman
?
—
ah
!
"
murmured
Bertie
,
with
the
Brummel
nonchalance
of
his
order
.
"
I
do
n't
think
I
should
do
that
,
even
for
you
,
—
not
,
at
least
,
while
I
had
a
cigar
left
.
"
And
then
the
boat
drifted
backward
,
while
the
stars
grew
brighter
and
the
last
reflexion
of
the
sun
died
out
;
and
they
planned
to
meet
to-morrow
,
and
talked
of
Baden
,
and
sketched
projects
for
the
winter
in
Paris
,
and
went
in
and
sat
by
the
window
,
taking
their
coffee
,
and
feeling
,
in
a
half
vague
pleasure
,
the
heliotrope-scented
air
blowing
softly
in
from
the
garden
below
,
and
the
quiet
of
the
starlit
river
in
the
summer
evening
,
with
a
white
sail
gleaming
here
and
there
,
or
the
gentle
splash
of
an
oar
following
on
the
swift
trail
of
a
steamer
:
the
quiet
,
so
still
and
so
strange
after
the
crowded
rush
of
the
London
season
.
"
Would
she
really
care
?
"
thought
Cecil
,
once
more
.
In
that
moment
he
could
have
wished
to
think
she
would
.
But
heliotrope
,
stars
,
and
a
river
,
even
though
it
had
been
tawny
and
classical
Tiber
instead
of
ill-used
and
inodorous
Thames
,
were
not
things
sufficiently
in
the
way
of
either
of
them
to
detain
them
long
.
They
had
both
seen
the
Babylonian
sun
set
over
the
ruins
of
the
Birs
Nimrud
,
and
had
talked
of
Paris
fashions
while
they
did
so
;
they
had
both
leaned
over
the
terraces
of
Bellosguardo
,
while
the
moon
was
full
on
Giotto
's
tower
,
and
had
discussed
their
dresses
for
the
Veglione
masquerade
.
It
was
not
their
style
to
care
for
these
matters
;
they
were
pretty
,
to
be
sure
,
but
they
had
seen
so
many
of
them
.
The
Dowager
went
home
in
her
brougham
;
the
Countess
drove
in
his
mail-phaeton
,
objectionable
,
as
she
might
be
seen
,
but
less
objectionable
than
letting
her
servants
know
he
had
met
her
at
Richmond
.
Besides
,
she
obviated
danger
by
bidding
him
set
her
down
at
a
little
villa
across
the
park
,
where
dwelt
a
confidential
protégée
of
hers
,
whom
she
patronised
;
a
former
French
governess
,
married
tolerably
well
,
who
had
the
Countess
's
confidences
,
and
kept
them
religiously
for
sake
of
so
aristocratic
a
patron
,
and
of
innumerable
reversions
of
Spanish
point
and
shawls
that
had
never
been
worn
,
and
rings
,
of
which
her
lavish
ladyship
had
got
tired
.
From
here
,
she
would
take
her
ex-governess
's
little
brougham
,
and
get
quietly
back
to
her
own
house
in
Eaton-square
in
due
time
for
all
the
drums
and
crushes
at
which
she
must
make
her
appearance
.
This
was
the
sort
of
little
devices
which
really
made
them
think
themselves
in
love
,
and
gave
the
salt
to
the
whole
affair
.
Moreover
,
there
was
this
ground
for
it
,
that
had
her
lord
once
roused
from
the
straw-yards
of
his
prize
cattle
,
there
was
a
certain
stubborn
,
irrational
,
old-world
prejudice
of
pride
and
temper
in
him
that
would
have
made
him
throw
expediency
to
the
winds
,
then
and
there
,
with
a
blind
and
brutal
disregard
to
slander
and
to
the
fact
that
none
would
ever
adorn
his
diamonds
as
she
did
.
So
that
Cecil
had
not
only
her
fair
fame
,
but
her
still
more
valuable
jewels
,
in
his
keeping
when
he
started
from
the
Star
and
Garter
in
the
warmth
of
the
bright
summer
's
evening
.
It
was
a
lovely
night
;
a
night
for
lonely
highland
tarns
,
and
southern
shores
by
Baiæ
;
without
a
cloud
to
veil
the
brightness
of
the
stars
;
a
heavy
dew
pressed
the
odours
from
the
grasses
,
and
the
deep
glades
of
the
avenues
were
pierced
here
and
there
with
a
broad
beam
of
silvery
moonlight
,
slanting
through
the
massive
boles
of
the
trees
,
and
falling
white
and
serene
across
the
turf
.
Through
the
park
,
with
the
gleam
of
the
water
ever
and
again
shining
through
the
branches
of
the
foliage
,
Cecil
started
his
horses
;
his
groom
he
had
sent
away
on
reaching
Richmond
,
for
the
same
reason
as
the
Countess
had
dismissed
her
barouche
,
and
he
wanted
no
servant
,
since
,
as
soon
as
he
had
set
down
his
liege-lady
at
her
protégée
's
,
he
would
drive
straight
back
to
Piccadilly
.
But
he
had
not
noticed
what
he
noticed
now
,
that
instead
of
one
of
his
carriage-greys
,
who
had
fallen
slightly
lame
,
they
had
put
into
harness
the
young
one
,
Maraschino
,
who
matched
admirably
for
size
and
colour
,
but
who
,
being
really
a
hunter
,
though
he
had
been
broken
to
shafts
as
well
,
was
not
the
horse
with
which
to
risk
driving
a
lady
.
However
,
Beauty
was
a
perfect
whip
,
and
had
the
pair
perfectly
in
hand
,
so
that
he
thought
no
more
of
the
change
,
as
the
greys
dashed
at
a
liberal
half-speed
through
the
park
,
with
their
harness
flashing
in
the
moonlight
,
and
their
scarlet
rosettes
fluttering
in
the
pleasant
air
.
The
eyes
beside
him
,
the
Titian-like
mouth
,
the
rich
,
delicate
cheek
,
these
were
,
to
be
sure
,
rather
against
the
coolness
and
science
that
such
a
five-year-old
as
Maraschino
required
;
they
were
distracting
even
to
Cecil
,
and
he
had
not
prudence
enough
to
deny
his
sovereign
lady
when
she
put
her
hands
on
the
ribbons
.
"
The
beauties
!
give
them
to
me
,
Bertie
.
Dangerous
?
How
absurd
you
are
;
as
if
I
could
not
drive
anything
!
Do
you
remember
my
four
roans
at
Longchamps
?
"
She
could
,
indeed
,
with
justice
,
pique
herself
on
her
skill
;
she
drove
matchlessly
,
but
as
he
resigned
them
to
her
,
Maraschino
and
his
companion
quickened
their
trot
,
and
tossed
their
pretty
thorough-bred
heads
,
conscious
of
a
less
powerful
hand
on
the
reins
.
"
I
shall
let
their
pace
out
,
there
is
nobody
to
run
over
here
,
"
said
her
ladyship
"
Va-t
'
en
donc
mon
beau
monsieur
.
"
Maraschino
,
as
though
hearing
the
flattering
conjuration
,
swung
off
into
a
light
,
quick
canter
,
and
tossed
his
head
again
;
he
knew
that
,
good
whip
though
she
was
,
he
could
jerk
his
mouth
free
in
a
second
if
he
wanted
.
Cecil
laughed
,
prudence
was
at
no
time
his
virtue
,
and
leant
back
contentedly
,
to
be
driven
at
a
slashing
pace
through
the
balmy
summer
's
night
,
while
the
ring
of
the
hoofs
rang
merrily
on
the
turf
,
and
the
boughs
were
tossed
aside
with
a
dewy
fragrance
.
As
they
went
,
the
moonlight
was
shed
about
their
path
in
the
full
of
the
young
night
,
and
at
the
end
of
a
long
aisle
of
boughs
,
on
a
grassy
knoll
,
were
some
phantom
forms
,
the
same
graceful
shapes
that
stand
out
against
the
purple
heather
and
the
tawny
gorse
of
Scottish
moorlands
,
while
the
lean
rifle-tube
creeps
up
by
stealth
.
In
the
clear
starlight
there
stood
the
deer
,
a
dozen
of
them
,
a
clan
of
stags
alone
,
with
their
antlers
clashing
like
the
clash
of
swords
,
and
waving
like
swaying
banners
as
they
tossed
their
heads
and
listened
.
2
In
an
instant
the
hunter
pricked
his
ears
,
snuffed
the
air
,
and
twitched
with
passionate
impatience
at
his
bit
;
—
another
instant
and
he
had
got
his
head
,
and
launching
into
a
sweeping
gallop
,
rushed
down
the
glade
.
Cecil
sprang
forward
from
his
lazy
rest
,
and
seized
the
ribbons
that
in
one
instant
had
cut
his
companion
's
gloves
to
stripes
.
"
Sit
still
,
"
he
said
,
calmly
,
but
under
his
breath
.
"
He
has
been
always
ridden
with
the
Buck-hounds
;
he
will
race
the
deer
as
sure
as
we
live
!
"
Race
the
deer
he
did
.
Startled
,
and
fresh
for
their
favourite
nightly
wandering
,
the
stags
were
off
like
the
wind
at
the
noise
of
alarm
,
and
the
horses
tore
after
them
;
no
skill
,
no
strength
,
no
science
,
could
avail
to
pull
them
in
;
they
had
taken
their
bits
between
their
teeth
,
and
the
devil
that
was
in
Maraschino
lent
the
contagion
of
sympathy
to
the
young
carriage-mare
,
who
had
never
gone
at
such
a
pace
since
she
had
been
first
put
in
her
break
.
Neither
Cecil
's
hands
nor
any
other
force
could
stop
them
now
;
on
they
went
,
hunting
as
straight
in
line
as
though
staghounds
streamed
in
front
of
them
,
and
no
phaeton
rocked
and
swayed
in
a
dead
and
dragging
weight
behind
them
.
In
a
moment
he
gauged
the
closeness
and
the
vastness
of
the
peril
;
there
was
nothing
for
it
but
to
trust
to
chance
,
to
keep
his
grasp
on
the
reins
to
the
last
,
and
to
watch
for
the
first
sign
of
exhaustion
.
Long
ere
that
should
be
given
death
might
have
come
to
them
both
;
but
there
was
a
gay
excitation
in
that
headlong
rush
through
the
summer
night
,
there
was
a
champagne-draught
of
mirth
and
mischief
in
that
dash
through
the
starlit
woodland
,
there
was
a
reckless
,
breathless
pleasure
in
that
neck-or-nothing
moonlight
chase
!
Yet
danger
was
so
near
with
every
oscillation
;
the
deer
were
trooping
in
fast
flight
,
now
clear
in
the
moonlight
,
now
lost
in
the
shadow
,
bounding
with
their
lightning
grace
over
sward
and
hillock
,
over
briar
and
brushwood
,
at
that
speed
which
kills
most
living
things
that
dare
to
race
the
"
Monarch
of
the
Glens
.
"
And
the
greys
were
in
full
pursuit
;
the
hunting
fire
was
in
the
fresh
young
horse
;
he
saw
the
shadowy
branches
of
the
antlers
toss
before
him
,
and
he
knew
no
better
than
to
hunt
down
in
their
scenting
line
as
hotly
as
though
the
field
of
the
Queen
's
or
the
Baron
's
was
after
them
.
What
cared
he
for
the
phaeton
that
rocked
and
reeled
on
his
traces
,
he
felt
its
weight
no
more
than
if
it
were
a
wicker-work
toy
,
and
extended
like
a
greyhound
he
swerved
from
the
road
,
swept
through
the
trees
,
and
tore
down
across
the
grassland
in
the
track
of
the
herd
.
Through
the
great
boles
of
the
trunks
,
bronze
and
black
in
the
shadows
,
across
the
hilly
rises
of
the
turf
,
through
the
brushwood
pell-mell
,
and
crash
across
the
level
stretches
of
the
sward
,
they
raced
as
though
the
hounds
were
streaming
in
front
;
swerved
here
,
tossed
there
,
carried
in
a
whirlwind
over
the
mounds
,
wheeled
through
the
gloom
of
the
woven
branches
,
splashed
with
a
hiss
through
the
shallow
rain-pools
,
shot
swift
as
an
arrow
across
the
silver
radiance
of
the
broad
moonlight
,
borne
against
the
sweet
south
wind
,
and
down
the
odours
of
the
trampled
grass
,
the
carriage
was
hurled
across
the
park
in
the
wild
starlight
chase
.
It
rocked
,
it
swayed
,
it
shook
,
at
every
yard
,
while
it
was
carried
on
like
a
paper
toy
;
as
yet
the
marvellous
chances
of
accident
had
borne
it
clear
of
the
destruction
that
threatened
it
at
every
step
as
the
greys
,
in
the
height
of
their
pace
now
,
and
powerless
even
to
have
arrested
themselves
,
flew
through
the
woodland
,
neither
knowing
what
they
did
,
nor
heeding
where
they
went
;
but
racing
down
on
the
scent
,
not
feeling
the
strain
of
the
traces
,
and
only
maddened
the
more
by
the
noise
of
the
whirling
wheels
behind
them
.
As
Cecil
leaned
back
,
his
hands
clenched
on
the
reins
,
his
sinews
stretched
almost
to
bursting
in
their
vain
struggle
to
recover
power
over
the
loosened
beasts
,
the
hunting
zest
woke
in
him
too
,
even
while
his
eyes
glanced
on
his
companion
in
fear
and
anxiety
for
her
.
"
Tally-ho
!
hark
forward
!
As
I
live
it
is
glorious
!
"
he
cried
,
half
unconsciously
.
"
For
God
's
sake
sit
still
,
Beatrice
!
I
will
save
you
.
"
Inconsistent
as
the
words
were
,
they
were
true
to
what
he
felt
:
alone
,
he
would
have
flung
himself
delightedly
into
the
madness
of
the
chase
,
for
her
he
dreaded
with
horror
the
eminence
of
their
peril
.
On
fled
the
deer
,
on
swept
the
horses
;
faster
in
the
gleam
of
the
moonlight
the
antlered
troop
darted
on
through
the
gloaming
;
faster
tore
the
greys
in
the
ecstasy
of
their
freedom
;
headlong
and
heedless
they
dashed
through
the
thickness
of
leaves
and
the
weaving
of
branches
;
neck
to
neck
straining
to
distance
each
other
,
and
held
together
by
the
gall
of
the
harness
.
The
broken
boughs
snapped
,
the
earth
flew
up
beneath
their
hoofs
,
their
feet
struck
scarlet
sparks
of
fire
from
the
stones
,
the
carriage
was
whirled
,
rocking
and
tottering
,
through
the
maze
of
treetrunks
,
towering
like
pillars
of
black
stone
up
against
the
steel-blue
clearness
of
the
sky
.
The
strain
was
intense
;
the
danger
deadly
:
suddenly
,
straight
ahead
,
beyond
the
darkness
of
the
foliage
,
gleamed
a
line
of
light
;
shimmering
,
liquid
,
and
glassy
,
here
brown
as
gloom
where
the
shadows
fell
on
it
,
here
light
as
life
where
the
stars
mirrored
on
it
.
That
trembling
line
stretched
right
in
their
path
.
For
the
first
time
from
the
blanched
lips
beside
him
a
cry
of
terror
rang
.
"
The
river
!
—
oh
,
Heaven
!
—
the
river
!
"
There
it
lay
in
the
distance
,
the
deep
and
yellow
water
,
cold
in
the
moon
's
rays
,
with
its
farther
bank
but
a
dull
grey
line
in
the
mists
that
rose
from
it
,
and
its
swamp
a
yawning
grave
,
as
the
horses
,
blind
in
their
delirium
,
and
racing
against
each
other
,
bore
down
through
all
obstacles
towards
its
brink
.
Death
was
rarely
ever
closer
;
one
score
yards
more
,
one
plunge
,
one
crash
down
the
declivity
and
against
the
rails
,
one
swell
of
the
noisome
tide
above
their
heads
,
and
life
would
be
closed
and
passed
for
both
of
them
.
For
one
breathless
moment
his
eyes
met
hers
,
—
in
that
moment
he
loved
her
,
in
that
moment
their
hearts
beat
with
a
truer
,
fonder
impulse
to
each
other
than
they
had
ever
done
.
Before
the
presence
of
a
threatening
death
,
life
grows
real
,
love
grows
precious
,
to
the
coldest
and
most
careless
.
No
aid
could
come
;
not
a
living
soul
was
nigh
;
the
solitude
was
as
complete
as
though
a
western
prairie
stretched
around
them
;
there
were
only
the
still
and
shadowy
night
,
the
chilly
silence
,
on
which
the
beat
of
the
plunging
hoofs
shattered
like
thunder
,
and
the
glisten
of
the
flowing
water
growing
nearer
and
nearer
every
yard
.
The
tranquillity
around
only
jarred
more
horribly
on
ear
and
brain
;
the
vanishing
forms
of
the
antlered
deer
only
gave
a
weirder
grace
to
the
moonlight-chase
whose
goal
was
the
grave
.
It
was
like
the
midnight
hunt
after
Herne
the
Hunter
;
but
here
,
behind
them
,
hunted
Death
.
The
animals
neither
saw
nor
knew
what
waited
them
,
as
they
rushed
down
on
to
the
broad
,
grey
stream
,
veiled
from
them
by
the
slope
and
the
screen
of
flickering
leaves
;
to
save
them
there
was
but
one
chance
,
and
that
so
desperate
that
it
looked
like
madness
.
It
was
but
a
second
's
thought
;
he
gave
it
but
a
second
's
resolve
.
The
next
instant
he
stood
on
his
feet
,
as
the
carriage
swayed
to
and
fro
over
the
turf
,
balanced
himself
marvellously
as
it
staggered
in
that
furious
gallop
from
side
to
side
,
clenched
the
reins
hard
in
the
grip
of
his
teeth
,
measured
the
distance
with
an
unerring
eye
,
and
crouching
his
body
for
the
spring
with
all
the
science
of
the
old
playing-fields
of
his
Eton
days
,
cleared
the
dash-board
and
lighted
astride
on
the
back
of
the
hunting
five-year-old
;
—
how
,
he
could
never
have
remembered
,
or
have
told
.
The
tremendous
pace
at
which
they
went
swayed
him
with
a
lurch
and
a
reel
over
the
off-side
;
a
woman
's
cry
rang
again
,
clear
,
and
shrill
,
and
agonised
on
the
night
;
a
moment
more
,
and
he
would
have
fallen
head
downwards
beneath
the
horses
'
feet
.
But
he
had
ridden
stirrup-less
and
saddle-less
ere
now
;
he
recovered
himself
with
the
suppleness
of
an
Arab
,
and
firm-seated
behind
the
collar
,
with
one
leg
crushed
between
the
pole
and
Maraschino
's
flanks
,
gathering
in
the
ribbons
till
they
were
tight-drawn
as
a
bridle
,
he
strained
with
all
the
might
and
sinew
that
were
in
him
to
get
the
greys
in
hand
before
they
could
plunge
down
into
the
water
.
His
wrists
were
wrenched
like
pulleys
,
the
resistance
against
him
was
hard
as
iron
,
but
as
he
had
risked
life
and
limb
in
the
leap
which
had
seated
him
across
the
harnessed
lions
of
the
now
terrified
beast
,
so
he
risked
them
afresh
to
get
the
mastery
now
;
to
slacken
them
,
turn
them
ever
so
slightly
,
and
save
the
woman
he
loved
—
loved
,
at
least
in
this
hour
,
as
he
had
not
loved
her
before
.
One
moment
more
while
the
half-maddened
beasts
rushed
through
the
shadows
;
one
moment
more
,
till
the
river
stretched
full
before
them
in
all
its
length
and
breadth
,
without
a
living
thing
upon
its
surface
to
break
the
still
and
awful
calm
;
one
moment
—
and
the
force
of
cool
command
conquered
and
broke
their
wills
despite
themselves
.
The
hunter
knew
his
master
's
voice
,
his
touch
,
his
pressure
,
and
slackened
speed
by
an
irresistible
,
almost
unconscious
habit
of
obedience
;
the
carriage-mare
,
checked
and
galled
in
the
full
height
of
her
speed
,
stood
erect
,
pawing
the
air
with
her
fore-legs
,
and
flinging
the
white
froth
over
her
withers
,
while
she
plunged
blindly
in
her
nervous
terror
;
then
,
with
a
crash
,
her
feet
came
down
upon
the
ground
,
the
broken
harness
shivered
together
with
a
sharp
,
metallic
clash
;
snorting
,
panting
,
quivering
,
trembling
,
the
pair
stood
passive
and
vanquished
.
The
carriage
was
overthrown
;
but
the
high
and
fearless
courage
of
the
Peeress
bore
her
unharmed
,
even
as
she
was
flung
out
on
to
the
yielding
ferngrown
turf
;
fair
as
she
was
in
every
hour
,
she
had
never
looked
fairer
than
as
he
swung
himself
from
the
now
powerless
horses
and
threw
himself
beside
her
.
"
My
love
—
my
love
,
you
are
saved
!
"
The
beautiful
eyes
looked
up
half
unconscious
;
the
danger
told
on
her
now
that
it
was
passed
,
as
it
does
most
commonly
with
women
.
"
Saved
!
—
lost
!
All
the
world
must
know
,
now
,
that
you
are
with
me
this
evening
,
"
she
murmured
with
a
shudder
.
She
lived
for
the
world
,
and
her
first
thought
was
of
self
.
He
soothed
her
tenderly
.
"
Hush
—
be
at
rest
.
There
is
no
injury
but
what
I
can
repair
,
nor
is
there
a
creature
in
sight
to
have
witnessed
the
accident
.
Trust
in
me
,
no
one
shall
ever
know
of
this
.
You
shall
reach
town
safely
and
alone
.
"
And
while
he
promised
,
he
forgot
that
he
thus
pledged
his
honour
to
leave
four
hours
of
his
life
so
buried
that
,
however
much
he
needed
,
he
neither
should
nor
could
account
for
them
.
CHAPTER
IX
.
THE
PAINTED
BIT
.
Baden
was
at
its
brightest
.
The
Victoria
,
the
Badischer
Hof
,
the
Stephanie
Bauer
,
were
crowded
.
The
Kurliste
had
a
dazzling
string
of
names
.
Imperial
grandeur
saunted
in
slippers
,
chiefs
used
to
be
saluted
with
"
Ave
Cæsar
Imperator
,
"
smoked
a
papelito
in
peace
over
Galignani
.
Emperors
gave
a
good-day
to
ministers
who
made
their
thrones
beds
of
thorns
,
and
little
kings
elbowed
great
capitalists
who
could
have
bought
them
all
up
in
a
morning
's
work
in
the
money
market
.
Statecraft
was
in
its
slippers
,
and
diplomacy
in
its
dressing-gown
.
Statesmen
who
had
just
been
outwitting
each
other
at
the
hazard
of
European
politics
,
laughed
good
humouredly
as
they
laid
their
gold
down
on
the
colour
.
Rivals
,
who
had
lately
been
quarrelling
over
the
knotty
points
of
national
frontiers
,
now
only
vied
for
a
twenty-franc
rosebud
from
the
bouquetière
.
Knights
of
the
Garter
and
Knights
of
the
Golden
Fleece
,
who
had
hated
each
other
to
deadliest
rancour
with
the
length
of
the
Continent
between
them
,
got
friends
over
a
mutually
good
book
on
the
Rastadt
or
Forêt
Noir
.
Brains
that
were
the
powder
depôt
of
one
half
of
the
universe
,
let
themselves
be
lulled
with
the
monotone
of
"
Faites
votre
jeu
!
"
or
fanned
to
tranquil
amusement
by
a
fair
idiot
's
coquetry
.
And
lips
that
,
with
a
whisper
,
could
loosen
the
coursing
slips
of
the
wild
hell-dogs
of
war
,
murmured
love
to
a
Princess
,
led
the
laugh
at
a
supper
at
five
in
the
morning
,
or
smiled
over
their
own
caricatures
done
by
Tenniel
or
Cham
.
Baden
was
full
.
The
supreme
empires
of
demimonde
sent
their
sovereigns
diamond-crowned
and
resistless
to
outshine
all
other
principalities
and
powers
,
while
in
breadth
of
marvellous
skirts
,
in
costliness
of
cobweb
laces
,
in
unapproachability
of
Indian
shawls
,
and
gold
embroideries
,
and
mad
fantasies
,
and
Cleopatra
extravagances
,
and
jewels
fit
for
a
Maharajah
,
the
Zu-Zu
was
distanced
by
none
.
Among
the
kings
and
heroes
and
celebrities
who
gathered
under
the
pleasant
shadow
of
the
pine-crowned
hills
,
there
was
not
one
in
his
way
greater
than
the
steeple-chaser
,
Forest
King
,
—
certes
,
there
was
not
one
half
so
honest
.
The
Guards
'
crack
was
entered
for
the
Prix
de
Dames
,
the
sole
representative
of
England
.
There
were
two
or
three
good
things
out
of
French
stables
,
specially
a
killing
little
bay
,
L'Etoile
,
and
there
was
an
Irish
sorrel
,
the
property
of
an
Austrian
of
rank
,
of
which
fair
things
were
whispered
;
but
it
was
scarcely
possible
that
anything
could
stand
against
the
King
,
and
that
wonderful
stride
of
his
which
spread-eagled
his
field
like
magic
,
and
his
countrymen
were
well
content
to
leave
their
honour
and
their
old
renown
to
"
Beauty
"
and
his
six-year-old
.
Beauty
himself
,
with
a
characteristic
philosophy
,
had
a
sort
of
conviction
that
the
German
race
would
set
everything
square
.
He
stood
either
to
make
a
very
good
thing
on
it
,
or
to
be
very
heavily
hit
.
There
could
be
no
medium
.
He
never
hedged
in
his
life
;
and
as
it
was
almost
a
practical
impossibility
that
anything
the
foreign
stables
could
get
together
would
even
be
able
to
land
within
half
a
dozen
lengths
of
the
King
,
Cecil
,
always
willing
to
console
himself
,
and
invariably
too
careless
to
take
the
chance
of
adverse
accidents
into
account
,
had
come
to
Baden
,
and
was
amusing
himself
there
dropping
a
Freidrich
d'Or
on
the
rouge
,
flirting
in
the
shady
alleys
of
the
Lichtenthal
,
waltzing
Lady
Guenevere
down
the
ball-room
,
playing
écarté
with
some
Serene
Highness
,
supping
with
the
Zu-Zu
and
her
set
,
and
occupying
rooms
that
a
Russian
Prince
had
had
before
him
,
with
all
the
serenity
of
a
millionaire
as
far
as
memory
of
money
went
.
With
much
more
than
the
serenity
in
other
matters
of
most
millionaires
,
who
,
finding
themselves
uncommonly
ill
at
ease
in
the
pot-pourri
of
monarchs
and
ministers
,
of
beau-monde
and
demi-monde
,
would
have
given
half
their
newly-turned
thousands
to
get
rid
of
the
odour
of
Capel
Court
and
the
Bourse
,
and
to
attain
the
calm
,
negligent
assurance
,
the
easy
tranquil
insolence
,
the
nonchalance
with
Princes
,
and
the
supremacy
amongst
the
Free
Lances
,
which
they
saw
and
coveted
in
the
indolent
Guardsman
.
Bertie
amused
himself
.
He
might
be
within
a
day
of
his
ruin
,
but
that
was
no
reason
why
he
should
not
sip
his
iced
sherbet
and
laugh
with
a
pretty
French
actress
to-night
.
His
epicurean
formulary
was
the
same
as
old
Herrick
's
,
and
he
would
have
paraphrased
this
poet
's
famous
quatrain
into
Drink
a
pure
claret
while
you
may
,
Your
"
stiff
"
is
still
a
flying
;
And
he
who
dines
so
well
to-day
To-morrow
may
be
lying
,
Pounced
down
upon
by
Jews
tout
net
,
Or
outlawed
in
a
French
guinguette
!
Bertie
was
a
great
believer
—
if
the
words
are
not
too
sonorous
and
too
earnest
to
be
applied
to
his
very
inconsequent
views
upon
any
and
everything
—
in
the
philosophy
of
happy
accident
.
Far
as
it
was
in
him
to
have
a
conviction
at
all
,
which
was
a
thoroughgoing
serious
sort
of
thing
not
by
any
means
his
"
form
,
"
he
had
a
conviction
that
the
doctrine
of
"
Eat
,
drink
,
and
enjoy
,
for
to-morrow
we
die
,
"
was
an
universal
panacea
.
He
was
reckless
to
the
uttermost
stretch
of
recklessness
,
all
serene
and
quiet
though
his
poco-curantism
and
his
daily
manner
were
;
and
while
subdued
to
the
undeviating
monotone
and
languor
of
his
peculiar
set
in
all
his
temper
and
habits
,
the
natural
dare-devil
in
him
took
out
its
inborn
instincts
in
a
wildly
careless
and
gamester-like
imprudence
with
that
most
touchy-tempered
and
inconsistent
of
all
coquettes
—
Fortune
.
Things
,
he
thought
,
could
not
well
be
worse
with
him
than
they
were
now
.
So
he
piled
all
on
one
coup
,
and
stood
to
be
sunk
or
saved
by
the
Prix
de
Dames
.
Meanwhile
,
all
the
same
,
he
murmured
Mussetism
to
the
Guenevere
under
the
ruins
of
the
Alte
Schloss
,
lost
or
won
a
rouleau
at
the
roulette
wheel
,
gave
a
bank-note
to
the
famous
Isabel
for
a
tea-rose
,
drove
the
Zu-Zu
four
in
hand
to
see
the
Flat
races
,
took
his
guinea
tickets
for
the
Concerts
,
dined
with
Princes
,
lounged
arm-in-arm
with
Grand
Dukes
,
gave
an
Emperor
a
hint
as
to
the
best
cigars
,
and
charmed
a
Monarch
by
unfolding
the
secret
of
the
aroma
of
a
Guards
'
Punch
,
sacred
to
the
Household
.
"
Si
on
ne
meurt
pas
de
désespoir
ou
finit
par
manger
des
huitres
,
"
said
the
wity
Frenchwoman
;
Bertie
,
who
believed
in
bivalves
but
not
in
heroics
,
thought
it
best
to
take
the
oysters
first
,
and
eschew
the
despair
entirely
.
He
had
one
unchangeable
quality
—
insouciance
;
and
he
had
,
moreover
,
one
unchangeable
faith
—
the
King
.
Lady
Guenevere
had
reached
home
unnoticed
after
the
accident
of
their
moonlight
stag-hunt
.
His
brother
meeting
him
a
day
or
two
after
their
interview
had
nodded
affirmatively
,
though
sulkily
,
in
answer
to
his
inquiries
,
and
had
murmured
that
it
was
"
all
square
now
.
"
The
Jews
and
the
tradesmen
had
let
him
leave
for
Baden
without
more
serious
measures
than
a
menace
,
more
or
less
insolently
worded
.
In
the
same
fashion
he
trusted
that
the
King
's
running
at
the
Bad
,
with
the
moneys
he
had
on
it
,
would
set
all
things
right
for
a
little
while
,
when
,
if
his
family
interest
,
which
was
great
,
would
get
him
his
step
in
the
First
Life
,
he
thought
,
desperate
as
things
were
,
they
might
come
round
again
smoothly
,
without
a
notorious
crash
.
"
You
are
sure
the
King
will
'
stay
,
'
Bertie
?
"
asked
Lady
Guenevere
,
who
had
some
hundreds
in
gloves
(
and
even
under
the
rose
"
sported
a
pony
"
or
so
more
seriously
)
on
the
event
.
"
Certain
!
But
if
he
do
n't
,
I
promise
you
as
pretty
a
tableau
as
your
Asnières
one
;
for
your
sake
,
I
'll
make
the
finish
as
picturesque
as
possible
;
would
n't
it
be
well
to
give
me
a
lock
of
hair
in
readiness
?
"
Her
ladyship
laughed
,
and
shook
her
head
;
if
a
man
killed
himself
she
did
not
desire
that
her
gracious
name
should
be
entangled
with
the
folly
.
"
No
,
I
do
n't
do
those
things
,
"
she
said
,
with
captivating
waywardness
.
"
Besides
,
though
the
Oos
looks
cool
and
pleasant
,
I
greatly
doubt
that
under
any
pressure
you
would
trouble
it
;
suicides
are
too
pronounced
for
your
style
,
Bertie
.
"
"
At
all
events
,
a
little
morphia
in
one
's
own
rooms
would
be
quieter
,
and
better
taste
,
"
said
Cecil
,
while
he
caught
himself
listlessly
wondering
,
as
he
had
wondered
at
Richmond
,
if
this
badinage
were
to
turn
into
serious
fact
—
how
much
would
she
care
?
"
May
your
sins
be
forgiven
you
!
"
cried
Chesterfield
,
the
apostle
of
training
,
as
he
and
the
Seraph
came
up
to
the
table
where
Cecil
and
Cos
Wentworth
were
breakfasting
in
the
garden
of
the
Stephanien
on
the
race
day
itself
.
"
Liqueurs
,
truffles
,
and
every
devilment
under
the
sun
?
—
cold
beef
,
and
nothing
to
drink
,
Beauty
,
if
you
've
any
conscience
left
!
"
"
Never
had
a
grain
,
dear
boy
,
since
I
can
remember
,
"
murmured
Bertie
,
apologetically
.
"
You
took
all
the
rawness
off
me
at
Eton
.
"
"
And
you
've
been
taking
coffee
in
bed
,
I
'll
swear
?
"
pursued
the
cross-examiner
.
"
What
if
he
have
?
Beauty
's
condition
ca
n't
be
upset
by
a
little
mocha
,
nor
mine
either
,
"
said
his
universal
defender
;
and
the
Seraph
shook
his
splendid
limbs
with
a
very
pardonable
vanity
.
"
Ruteroth
trains
;
Ruteroth
trains
awfully
,
"
put
in
Cos
Wentworth
,
looking
up
out
of
a
great
silver
flagon
of
Badminton
,
with
which
he
was
ending
his
breakfast
;
and
,
referring
to
the
Austrian
who
was
to
ride
the
Paris
favourite
,
"
Remember
him
at
La
Marche
last
year
,
and
the
racing
at
Vincennes
—
did
n't
take
a
thing
that
could
make
flesh
—
muscles
like
iron
,
you
know
—
never
touched
a
soda
even
—
—
"
"
I
've
trained
too
,
"
said
Bertie
,
submissively
;
"
look
how
I
've
been
waltzing
!
There
is
n't
harder
work
than
that
for
any
fellow
.
A
deuxtemps
with
the
Duchess
takes
it
out
of
you
like
any
spin
over
the
flat
.
"
His
censurers
laughed
,
but
did
not
give
in
their
point
.
"
You
've
run
shocking
risks
,
Beauty
,
"
said
Chesterfield
;
"
the
King
's
in
fine
running-form
,
do
n't
say
he
is
n't
;
but
you
've
said
scores
of
times
what
a
deal
of
riding
he
takes
.
Now
,
can
you
tell
us
yourself
that
you
're
in
as
hard
condition
as
you
were
when
you
won
the
Military
,
eh
?
"
Cecil
shook
his
head
with
a
sigh
:
"
I
do
n't
think
I
am
;
I
've
had
things
to
try
me
,
you
see
.
There
was
that
Verschoyle
's
proposal
.
I
did
absolutely
think
at
one
time
she
'd
marry
me
before
I
could
protest
against
it
!
Then
there
was
that
shock
to
one
's
whole
nervous
system
,
when
that
indigo
man
,
who
took
Lady
Laura
's
house
,
asked
us
to
dinner
,
and
actually
thought
we
should
go
!
—
and
there
was
a
scene
,
you
know
,
of
all
earthly
horrors
,
when
Mrs.
Gervase
was
so
near
eloping
with
me
,
and
Gervase
cut
up
rough
,
instead
of
pitying
me
;
and
then
the
field-days
were
so
many
,
and
so
late
into
the
season
;
and
I
exhausted
myself
so
at
the
Belvoir
theatricals
at
Easter
;
and
I
toiled
so
atrociously
playing
Almaviva
at
your
place
,
Seraph
—
a
private
opera
's
galley-slave
's
work
!
—
and
,
altogether
,
I
've
had
a
good
many
things
to
pull
me
down
since
the
winter
,
"
concluded
Bertie
,
with
a
plaintive
self-condolence
over
his
truffles
.
The
rest
of
his
condemning
judges
laughed
,
and
passed
the
plea
out
of
sympathy
;
the
Coldstreamer
alone
remained
censorious
and
untouched
.
"
Pull
you
down
!
You
'll
never
pull
off
the
race
if
you
sit
drinking
liquors
all
the
morning
,
"
growled
that
censor
.
"
Look
at
that
!
"
Bertie
glanced
at
the
London
telegram
tossed
across
to
him
,
sent
from
a
private
and
confidential
agent
.
"
Betting
here
—
2
to
1
on
L'Etoile
;
Irish
Roan
offered
and
taken
freely
.
Slight
decline
in
closing
prices
for
the
King
;
getting
on
French
bay
rather
heavily
at
midnight
.
Fancy
there
's
a
commission
out
against
the
King
.
Looks
suspicious
.
"
Cecil
shrugged
his
shoulders
and
raised
his
eyebrows
a
little
.
"
All
the
better
for
us
.
Take
all
they
'll
lay
against
me
.
It
's
as
good
as
our
having
a
'
Commission
out
;
'
and
if
any
cads
get
one
against
us
it
ca
n't
mean
mischief
,
as
it
would
with
professional
jocks
.
"
"
Are
you
so
sure
of
yourself
,
Beauty
?
"
Beauty
shook
his
head
repudiatingly
.
"
Never
am
sure
of
anything
,
much
less
of
myself
;
I
'm
a
chameleon
,
a
perfect
chameleon
!
"
"
Are
you
so
sure
of
the
King
,
then
?
"
"
My
dear
fellow
,
no
!
I
ask
you
in
reason
,
how
can
I
be
sure
of
what
is
n't
proved
?
I
like
that
country
fellow
the
old
story
tells
of
,
he
believed
in
fifteen
shillings
because
he
'd
once
had
it
in
his
hand
;
others
,
he
'd
heard
,
believed
in
a
pound
;
but
,
for
his
part
,
he
did
n't
,
because
he
'd
never
seen
it
.
Now
that
was
a
man
who
'd
never
commit
himself
;
he
might
have
had
the
Exchequer
!
I
'm
the
same
;
I
believe
,
the
King
can
win
at
a
good
many
things
because
I
've
seen
him
do
'
em
;
but
I
ca
n't
possibly
tell
whether
he
can
get
this
,
because
I
've
never
ridden
him
for
it
.
I
shall
be
able
to
tell
you
at
three
o'clock
—
but
that
you
do
n't
care
for
—
—
"
And
Bertie
,
exhausted
with
making
such
a
lengthened
exposition
—
the
speeches
he
preferred
were
monosyllabic
—
completed
his
sins
against
training
with
a
long
draught
of
claret-cup
.
"
Then
,
what
the
devil
do
you
mean
by
telling
us
to
pile
our
posts
on
you
?
"
asked
the
outraged
Coldstreamer
with
natural
wrath
.
"
Faith
is
a
beautiful
sight
!
"
said
Bertie
,
with
solemnity
.
"
If
I
'
m
bowled
over
,
you
'
ll
be
none
the
less
sublime
instances
of
heroic
devotion
—
—
"
"
Offered
on
the
altar
of
the
Jews
!
"
laughed
the
Seraph
,
as
he
turned
him
away
from
the
breakfast-table
by
the
shoulders
.
"
Thanks
,
Beauty
;
I
've
'
four
figures
'
on
you
,
and
you
'll
be
good
enough
to
win
them
for
me
.
Let
's
have
a
look
at
the
King
.
They
are
just
going
to
walk
him
over
.
"
Cecil
complied
;
while
he
lounged
away
with
the
others
to
the
stables
,
with
a
face
of
the
most
calm
,
gentle
,
weary
indifference
in
the
world
,
the
thought
crossed
him
for
a
second
of
how
very
near
he
was
to
the
wind
.
The
figures
in
his
betting-book
were
to
the
tune
of
several
thousands
,
one
way
or
another
.
If
he
won
this
morning
it
would
be
all
right
,
of
course
:
if
he
lost
—
even
Beauty
,
odd
mixture
of
devil-may-care
and
languor
though
he
was
,
felt
his
lips
grow
,
for
the
moment
,
hot
and
cold
by
turns
as
he
thought
of
that
possible
contingency
.
The
King
looked
in
splendid
condition
;
he
knew
well
enough
what
was
up
again
,
knew
what
was
meant
by
that
extra
sedulous
dressing-down
,
that
setting
muzzle
that
had
been
buckled
on
him
some
nights
previous
,
the
limitation
put
to
his
drink
,
the
careful
trial
spins
in
the
grey
of
the
mornings
,
the
conclusive
examination
of
his
plates
by
a
skilful
hand
;
he
knew
what
was
required
of
him
,
and
a
horse
in
nobler
condition
never
stepped
out
in
body-clothing
,
as
he
was
ridden
slowly
down
on
to
the
plains
of
Iffesheim
.
The
Austrian
Dragoon
,
a
Count
and
a
Chamberlain
likewise
,
who
was
to
ride
his
only
possible
rival
,
the
French
horse
L'Etoile
,
pulled
his
tawny
silken
moustaches
,
as
he
saw
the
great
English
hero
come
up
the
course
,
and
muttered
to
himself
,
"
L'affaire
est
finie
.
"
L'Etoile
was
a
brilliant
enough
bay
in
his
fashion
,
but
Count
Ruteroth
knew
the
measure
of
his
pace
and
powers
too
thoroughly
to
expect
him
to
live
against
the
strides
of
the
Guards
'
grey
.
"
My
beauty
,
wo
n't
you
cut
those
German
fellows
down
!
"
muttered
Rake
,
the
enthusiast
,
in
the
saddling
enclosure
.
"
As
for
those
fools
what
go
again
you
,
you
'll
put
them
in
a
hole
,
and
no
mistake
.
French
horse
,
indeed
!
Why
,
you
'll
spread-eagle
all
them
Mossoos
'
and
Meinherrs
'
cattle
in
a
brace
of
seconds
—
—
"
Rake
's
foe
,
the
head
groom
,
caught
him
up
savagely
,
"
Wo
n't
you
never
learn
decent
breedin
'
?
When
we
wins
we
wins
on
the
quiet
,
and
when
we
loses
we
loses
as
if
we
liked
it
;
all
that
brayin
'
,
and
flauntin
'
,
and
boastin
'
,
is
only
fit
for
cads
.
The
'
oss
is
in
tiptop
condition
;
let
him
show
what
he
can
do
over
furren
ground
.
"
"
Lucky
for
him
,
then
,
that
he
has
n't
got
you
across
the
pigskin
;
you
'd
rope
him
,
I
believe
,
as
soon
as
look
at
him
,
if
it
was
made
worth
your
while
,
"
retorted
Rake
,
in
caustic
wrath
;
his
science
of
repartee
chiefly
lay
in
a
successful
"
plant
,
"
and
he
was
here
uncomfortably
conscious
that
his
opponent
was
in
the
right
of
the
argument
,
as
he
started
through
the
throng
to
put
his
master
into
the
"
shell
"
of
the
Shire-famous
scarlet
and
white
.
"
Tip-top
condition
,
my
boy
—
tip-top
,
and
no
mistake
,
"
murmured
Mr.
Willon
,
for
the
edification
of
those
around
them
as
the
saddle-girths
were
buckled
on
,
and
the
Guards
'
crack
stood
the
cynosure
of
every
eye
at
Iffesheim
.
Then
,
in
his
capacity
as
head
attendant
on
the
hero
,
he
directed
the
exercise-bridle
to
be
taken
off
,
and
with
his
own
hands
adjusted
a
new
and
handsome
one
,
slung
across
his
arm
.
"
'
Tis
a'most
a
pity
.
'
Tis
a'most
a
pity
,
"
thought
the
worthy
,
as
he
put
the
curb
on
the
King
;
"
but
I
should
n't
have
been
haggravated
with
that
hinsolent
soldiering
chap
.
There
,
my
boy
,
if
you
'll
win
with
a
painted
quid
,
I
'm
a
Dutchman
.
"
Forest
King
champed
his
bit
between
his
teeth
a
little
;
it
tasted
bitter
;
he
tossed
his
head
and
licked
it
with
his
tongue
impatiently
;
the
taste
had
got
down
his
throat
and
he
did
not
like
its
flavour
:
he
turned
his
deep
,
lustrous
eyes
with
a
gentle
patience
on
the
crowd
about
him
as
though
asking
them
what
was
the
matter
with
him
.
No
one
moved
his
bit
;
the
only
person
who
could
have
had
such
authority
was
busily
giving
the
last
polish
to
his
coat
with
a
fine
handkerchief
—
that
glossy
neck
which
had
been
so
dusted
many
a
time
with
the
cobweb
coronet-broidered
handkerchiefs
of
great
ladies
—
and
his
instincts
,
glorious
as
they
were
,
were
not
wise
enough
to
tell
him
to
kick
his
head
groom
down
,
then
and
there
,
with
one
mortal
blow
,
as
his
poisoner
and
betrayer
.
The
King
chafed
under
the
taste
of
that
"
painted
quid
;
"
he
felt
a
nausea
as
he
swallowed
,
and
he
turned
his
handsome
head
with
a
strange
,
pathetic
astonishment
in
his
glance
:
at
that
moment
a
familiar
hand
stroked
his
mane
,
a
familiar
foot
was
put
into
his
stirrup
,
Bertie
threw
himself
into
saddle
,
the
lightest
weight
that
ever
gentleman-rider
rode
,
despite
his
six-foot
length
of
limb
.
The
King
,
at
the
well-known
touch
,
the
well-loved
voice
,
pricked
his
delicate
ears
,
quivered
in
all
his
frame
with
eager
excitation
,
snuffed
the
air
restlessly
through
his
distended
nostrils
,
and
felt
every
vein
under
his
satin
skin
thrill
and
swell
with
pleasure
;
he
was
all
impatience
,
all
power
,
all
longing
,
vivid
,
intensity
of
life
.
If
only
that
nausea
would
go
!
He
felt
a
restless
sickliness
stealing
on
him
that
his
young
and
gallant
strength
had
never
known
since
he
was
foaled
.
But
it
was
not
in
the
King
to
yield
to
a
little
;
he
flung
his
head
up
,
champing
angrily
at
the
bit
,
then
walked
down
to
the
starting-post
with
his
old
calm
,
collected
grace
;
and
Cecil
,
looking
at
the
glossy
bow
of
the
neck
,
and
feeling
the
width
of
the
magnificent
ribs
beneath
him
,
stooped
from
his
saddle
a
second
as
he
rode
out
of
the
enclosure
and
bent
to
the
Seraph
.
"
Look
at
him
,
Rock
!
the
thing
's
as
good
as
won
.
"
The
day
was
very
warm
and
brilliant
;
all
Baden
had
come
down
to
the
race-course
,
continuous
strings
of
carriages
,
with
their
four
or
six
horses
and
postilions
,
held
the
line
far
down
over
the
plains
;
mob
,
there
was
none
,
save
of
women
in
matchless
toilettes
,
and
men
with
the
highest
names
in
the
"
Almanac
de
Gotha
:
"
the
sun
shone
cloudlessly
on
the
broad
,
green
plateau
of
Iffesheim
,
on
the
white
amphitheatre
of
chalk
hills
,
and
on
the
glittering
,
silken
folds
of
the
flags
of
England
,
France
,
Prussia
,
and
of
the
Grand
Duchy
itself
,
that
floated
from
the
summits
of
the
Grand
Stand
,
Pavilion
,
and
Jockey
Club
.
The
ladies
,
descending
from
the
carriages
,
swept
up
and
down
on
the
green
course
that
was
so
free
from
"
cads
"
and
"
legs
,
"
their
magnificent
skirts
trailing
along
without
the
risk
of
a
grain
of
dust
,
their
costly
laces
side
by
side
with
the
Austrian
uniforms
of
the
military
men
from
Rastadt
.
The
betting
was
but
slight
;
the
Paris
formulas
,
"
Combien
contre
l'Etoile
?
"
"
Six
cents
francs
sur
le
cheval
Anglais
?
"
echoing
everywhere
in
odd
contrast
with
the
hubbub
and
striking
clamour
of
English
betting
rings
;
the
only
approach
to
anything
like
"
real
business
,
"
being
transacted
between
the
members
of
the
Household
and
those
of
the
Jockey
Clubs
.
Iffesheim
was
pure
pleasure
,
like
every
other
item
of
Baden
existence
,
and
all
aristocratic
,
sparkling
,
rich
,
amusement-seeking
Europe
seemed
gathered
there
under
the
sunny
skies
,
and
on
every
one
's
lips
in
the
titled
throng
was
but
one
name
—
Forest
King
's
.
Even
the
coquettish
bouquet-sellers
,
who
remembered
the
dresses
of
his
own
colours
which
Cecil
had
given
them
last
year
when
he
had
won
the
Rastadt
,
would
sell
nothing
except
little
twin
scarlet
and
white
moss
rosebuds
,
of
which
thousands
were
gathered
and
died
that
morning
in
honour
of
the
English
Guards
'
champion
.
A
slender
event
usually
,
the
presence
of
the
renowned
crack
of
the
Household
Cavalry
made
the
Prix
de
Dames
the
most
eagerly
watched
for
entry
on
the
card
,
and
the
rest
of
the
field
were
scarcely
noticed
as
the
well-known
gold-broidered
jacket
came
up
at
the
starting-post
.
The
King
saw
that
blaze
of
light
and
colour
over
course
and
stands
that
he
knew
so
well
by
the
time
;
he
felt
the
pressure
round
him
of
his
foreign
rivals
,
as
they
reared
,
and
pulled
,
and
fretted
,
and
passaged
;
the
old
longing
quivered
in
all
his
eager
limbs
,
the
old
fire
wakened
in
all
his
dauntless
blood
;
like
the
charger
at
sound
of
the
trumpet-call
,
he
lived
in
his
past
victories
,
and
was
athirst
for
more
.
But
yet
—
between
him
and
the
sunny
morning
there
seemed
a
dim
,
hazy
screen
;
on
his
delicate
ear
the
familiar
clangour
smote
with
something
dulled
and
strange
;
there
seemed
a
numbness
stealing
down
his
frame
,
he
shook
his
head
in
an
unusual
and
irritated
impatience
,
he
did
not
know
what
ailed
him
.
The
hand
he
loved
so
loyally
told
him
the
work
that
was
wanted
of
him
,
but
he
felt
its
guidance
dully
too
,
and
the
dry
,
hard
,
hot
earth
,
as
he
struck
it
with
his
hoof
,
seemed
to
sway
and
heave
beneath
him
;
the
opiate
had
stolen
into
his
veins
,
and
was
creeping
stealthily
and
surely
to
the
sagacious
brain
,
and
over
the
clear
,
bright
senses
.
The
signal
for
the
start
was
given
;
the
first
mad
headlong
rush
broke
away
with
the
force
of
a
pent-up
torrent
suddenly
loosened
;
every
instinct
of
race
and
custom
,
and
of
that
obedience
which
rendered
him
flexible
as
silk
to
his
rider
's
will
,
sent
him
forward
with
that
stride
which
made
the
Guards
'
crack
a
household
word
in
all
the
Shires
.
For
a
moment
he
shook
himself
clear
of
all
his
horses
,
and
led
off
in
the
old
grand
sweeping
canter
before
the
French
bay
three
lengths
in
the
one
single
effort
.
Then
into
his
eyes
a
terrible
look
of
anguish
came
;
the
numb
and
sickly
nausea
was
upon
him
,
his
legs
trembled
,
before
his
sight
was
a
blurred
whirling
mist
;
all
the
strength
and
force
and
mighty
life
within
him
felt
ebbing
out
,
yet
he
struggled
bravely
.
He
strained
,
he
panted
,
he
heard
the
thundering
thud
of
the
first
flight
gaining
nearer
and
nearer
upon
him
,
he
felt
his
rivals
closing
hotter
and
harder
in
on
him
,
he
felt
the
steam
of
his
opponent
's
smoking
foam-dashed
withers
burn
on
his
own
flanks
and
shoulders
,
he
felt
the
maddening
pressure
of
a
neck
to
neck
struggle
,
he
felt
what
in
all
his
victorious
life
he
had
never
known
—
the
paralysis
of
defeat
.
The
glittering
throngs
spreading
over
the
plains
gazed
at
him
in
the
sheer
stupor
of
amazement
;
they
saw
that
the
famous
English
hero
was
dead
beat
as
any
used-up
knacker
.
One
second
more
he
strove
to
wrench
himself
through
the
throng
of
his
horses
,
through
the
headlong
crushing
press
,
through
—
worst
foe
of
all
!
—
the
misty
darkness
curtaining
his
sight
;
one
second
more
he
tried
to
wrestle
back
the
old
life
into
his
limbs
,
the
unworn
power
and
freshness
into
nerve
and
sinew
.
Then
the
darkness
fell
utterly
;
the
mighty
heart
failed
;
he
could
do
no
more
;
—
and
his
rider
's
hand
slackened
and
turned
him
gently
backward
,
his
rider
's
voice
sounded
very
low
and
quiet
to
those
who
,
seeing
that
every
effort
was
hopeless
,
surged
and
clustered
round
his
saddle
.
"
Something
ails
the
King
,
"
said
Cecil
,
calmly
;
"
he
is
fairly
knocked
off
his
legs
.
Some
Vet
must
look
to
him
;
ridden
a
yard
farther
he
will
fall
.
"
Words
so
gently
spoken
!
—
yet
in
the
single
minute
that
alone
had
passed
since
they
had
left
the
Starter
's
Chair
,
a
lifetime
seemed
to
have
been
centred
alike
to
Forest
King
and
to
his
owner
.
The
field
swept
on
with
a
rush
without
the
favourite
;
and
the
Prix
de
Dames
was
won
by
the
French
bay
,
L'Etoile
.
CHAPTER
X
.
"
PETITE
REINE
.
"
When
a
young
Prussian
had
shot
himself
the
night
before
for
Roulette
losses
,
the
event
had
not
thrilled
,
startled
,
and
impressed
the
gay
Baden
gathering
one
tithe
so
gravely
and
so
enduringly
as
did
now
the
unaccountable
failure
of
the
great
Guards
'
crack
.
Men
could
make
nothing
of
it
save
the
fact
that
there
was
"
something
dark
"
somewhere
.
The
"
painted
quid
"
had
done
its
work
more
thoroughly
than
Willon
and
the
Welsher
had
intended
;
they
had
meant
that
the
opiate
should
be
just
sufficient
to
make
the
favourite
off
