"Ask Mamma"; or, The Richest Commoner In EnglandSurtees, Robert Smith
General
"Ask Mamma"; or, The Richest Commoner In England
Surtees, Robert Smith
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Fox hunting -- Fiction
‘A di-di-different hound for every chase Select with judgment; nor the
timorous hare, O’ermatch’d, destroy; but leave that vile offence To the
mean, murderous, coursing crew, intent On blood and spoil.’”
“Yarse,” replied Billy, turning on his heel as though he had had
enough of the show.
At this juncture, the Major drew the bolt, open flew the door,
and out poured the pack; Ruffler and Bustler dashing at Billy,
and streaking his nice cream-coloured leathers down with their
dirty paws, while Thunder and Victim nearly carried him off his
legs with the couples. Billy was in a great fright, never having
been in such a predicament before.
The Major came to the rescue, and with the aid of his whip and
his voice, and his “for shame, Ruffler! for shame, Bustler!” with
cuts at the coupled ones, succeeded in restoring order.
“Let’s mount,” said he, thinking to get Billy out of further
danger; so saying he wheeled about and led the way through the
outer yard with the glad pack gamboling and frisking around him
to the stables.
The hounds raise a fresh cry of joy as they see Solomon with his
horse ready to receive them.
CHAPTER XXIII. SHOWING A HORSE.—THE MEET.
THE Bumbler, like our Mathews-at-home of a huntsman, is now
metamorphosed, and in lieu of a little footman, we have a capped
and booted whip. Not that he _is_ a whip, for Solomon carries the
couples as well as the horn, and also a spare stirrup-leather
slung across his shoulder; but our Major has an eye as well to
show as to business, and thinks he may as well do the
magnificent, and have a horse ready to change with Billy as soon
as Napoleon the Great seems to have had enough. To that end the
Bumbler now advances with the Weaver which he tenders to Billy,
with a deferential touch of his cap.
“Ah, that’s _your_ horse!” exclaimed the Major, making for White
Surrey, to avoid the frolics and favours of his followers;
adding, as he climbed on, “you’ll find her a ca-ca-capital hack
and a first-rate hunter. Here, _elope, hounds, elope!_” added he,
turning his horse’s head away to get the course clear for our
friend to mount unmolested.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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