The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — CompleteLever, Charles
General
The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — Complete
Lever, Charles
Fiction
night they rested, and around whose hearth lay all their cares and all
their joys. How far, how very far removed from the busy haunts of men,
and all the struggles and contentions of the ambitious world; and yet,
how short-sighted to suppose that even they had not their griefs and
sorrows, and that their humble lot was devoid of the inheritance of
those woes, which all are heirs to.
I turned reluctantly, from the sea-shore to enter the gate of the park,
and my path in a few moments was as completely screened from all
prospect of the sea, as though it had lain miles inland. An avenue of
tall and ancient lime trees, so dense in their shadows as nearly to
conceal the road beneath, led for above a mile through a beautiful
lawn, whose surface, gently undulating, and studded with young clumps,
was dotted over with sheep. At length, descending by a very steep road,
I reached a beautiful little stream, over which a rustic bridge was
thrown. As I looked down upon the rippling stream beneath, on the
surface of which the dusky evening flies were dipping, I made a
resolve, if I prospered in his lordship’s good graces, to devote a day
to the “angle” there, before I left the country. It was now growing
late, and remember Lord Kilkee’s intimation of “sharp seven,” I threw
my reins over my cob, “Sir Roger’s” neck, (for I had hitherto been
walking,) and cantered up the steep hill before me. When I reached the
top, I found myself upon a broad table land, encircled by old and
well-grown timber, and at a distance, most tastefully half concealed by
ornamental planting, I could catch some glimpse of Callonby. Before,
however, I had time to look about me, I heard the tramp of horses’ feet
behind, and in another moment two ladies dashed up the steep behind,
and came towards me, at a smart gallop, followed by a groom, who,
neither himself nor his horse, seemed to relish the pace of his fair
mistresses. I moved off the road into the grass to permit them to pass;
but no sooner had they got abreast of me, than Sir Roger, anxious for a
fair start, flung up both heels at once, pricked up his ears, and with
a plunge that very nearly threw me from the saddle, set off at top
speed. My first thought was for the ladies beside me, and, to my utter
horror, I now saw them coming along in full gallop; their horses had
got off the road, and were, to my thinking, become quite unmanageable.
I endeavoured to pull up, but all in vain. Sir Roger had got the bit
between his teeth, a favourite trick of his, and I was perfectly
powerless to hold him by this time, they being mounted on
thoroughbreds, got a full neck before me, and the pace was now
tremendous, on we all came, each horse at his utmost stretch; they were
evidently gaining from the better stride of their cattle, and will it
be believed, or shall I venture to acknowledge it in these my
confessions, that I, who a moment before, would have given my best
chance of promotion, to be able to pull in my horse, would now have
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account