"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
“Thank ‘e, no,” replied his lordship, carelessly thinking it
would not do to let Miss de Glancey too much into the secrets of
the hunting field. “Thank ‘e, no,” repeated he, and ramming his
horse well at it, he gets through with little more disturbance of
the thorns than Dicky had made. Miss de Glancey comes next, and
riding quietly up the bank, she gives her horse a chuck with the
curb and a touch with the whip that causes him to rise well on
his haunches and buck over without injury to herself, her hat, or
her habit. Imperial John was nearly offering his services to
break the fence for her, but the “_S-i-r-r!_ do you mean to
insult me?” still tingling in his ears, caused him to desist.
However he gives Billy a lift by squashing through before him,
whose horse then just rushed through it as before, leaving Billy
to take care of himself. A switched face was the result, the
pain, however, being far greater than the disfigurement.
While this was going on above, D’Orsay Davis, who can ride a
spurt, has led a charge through a weaker place lower down; and
when our friend had ascertained that his eyes were still in his
head, he found two distinct lines of sportsmen spinning away in
the distance as if they were riding a race. Added to this, the
pent-up party behind him having got vent, made a great show of
horsemanship as they passed.
“Come along!” screamed one.
“Look alive!” shouted another.
“Never say die!” cried a third, though they were all as ready to
shut up as our friend.
Billy’s horse, however, not being used to stopping, gets the bit
between his teeth, and scuttles away at a very overtaking pace,
bringing him sufficiently near to let him see Gameboy Green and
the Flying Hatter leading the honourable obligation van, out of
whose extending line now a red coat, now a green coat, now a dark
coat drops in the usual “had enough” style.
In the ride-cunning, or know-the-country detachment, Miss de
Glancey’s flaunting habit, giving dignity to the figure and
flowing elegance to the scene, might be seen going at perfect
ease beside the noble Earl, who from the higher ground surveys
Gameboy Green and the Hatter racing to get first at each fence,
while the close-packing hounds are sufficiently far in advance to
be well out of harm’s way.
“C—a—a—tch ’em, if you can!” shrieks his lordship, eyeing their
zealous endeavours.
“C—a—a—tch ’em, if you can!” repeats he, laughing, as the pace
gets better and better, scarce a hound having time to give
tongue.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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