Part 6 (1/2)
Bardolph--The sheriff, with a monstrous watch, is at the door Henry IV First Part
I found out with some difficulty the apart secured ood-will and attention fro the , I secluded , from the fair way in which I had left my new relatives, as well as from the distant noise which continued to echo fro-roo company for a sobere family?” was my first and most natural reflection My uncle, it was plain, received me as one as to make some stay with him, and his rude hospitality rendered hi Hal to the number of those who fed at his cost But it was plain my presence or absence would be of as little importance in his eyes as that of one of his blue-coated serving-ht, if I liked it, unlearn whatever decent ant accomplishments, I had acquired, but where I could attain no infor horses, and following foxes I could only iine one reason, which was probably the true one My father considered the life which was led at Osbaldistone Hall as the natural and inevitable pursuits of all country gentlethat hich he knew I should be disgusted, to reconcile me, if possible, to take an active share in his own business In the h Osbaldistone into the counting-house But he had an hundred eously, whenever he chose to get rid of hih I did feel a certain qual Rashleigh, being such as he was described by Miss Vernon, into my father's business--perhaps into his confidence--I subdued it by the reflection that my father was complete master of his own affairs--a man not to be imposed upon, or influenced by any one--and that all I knew to the young gentleiddy girl, whose comht warranther conclusions had been hastily or inaccurately formed Then my mind naturally turned to Miss Vernon herself; her extre solely upon her reflections, and her own spirit, for guidance and protection; and her whole character offering that variety and spirit which piques our curiosity, and engages our attention in spite of ourselves I had sense enough to consider the neighbourhood of this singular young lady, and the chance of our being thrown into very close and frequent intercourse, as adding to the dangers, while it relieved the dulness, of Osbaldistone Hall; but I could not, with the fullest exertion of ret excessively this new and particular hazard to which I was to be exposed This scruple I also settled as young men settle most difficulties of the kind--I would be very cautious, always on uard, consider Miss Vernon rather as a coh With these reflections I fell asleep, Miss Vernon, of course, for the last subject of my contemplation
Whether I dreamed of her or not, I cannot satisfy you, for I was tired and slept soundly But she was the first person I thought of in the , aked at dawn by the cheerful notes of the hunting horn To start up, and direct my horse to be saddled, was my first movement; and in a few s, and horses, were in full preparation My uncle, who, perhaps, was not entitled to expect a very alert sportsn parts, see salutation wanted souished his first welcome ”Art there, lad?--ay, youth's aye rathe--but look to thysell--allops his horse on Blackstone edge May chance to catch a fall”
I believe there are few young men, and those very sturdy moralists, ould not rather be taxed with soe in horsemanshi+p As I was by no e, I resented ly, and assured him he would find me up with the hounds
”I doubtna, lad,” was his reply; ”thou'rt a rank rider, I'se warrant thee--but take heed Thy father sent thee here to me to be bitted, and I doubt I must ride thee on the curb, or we'll hae some one to ride thee on the halter, if I takena the better heed”
As this speech was totally unintelligible to me--as, besides, it did not seem to be delivered for my use, or benefit, but was spoken as it were aside, and as if expressing aloud soh the mind of my much-honoured uncle, I concluded it must either refer to , or thata little discoht before, his te reflection, that if he played the ungracious landlord, I would reuest, and then hastened to salute Miss Vernon, who advanced cordially toalso passed between my cousins andmy dress and accoutre at whatever had a new or foreign appearance, I exe therins and whispers, an air of the utmost indifference and contempt, I attached myself to Miss Vernon, as the only person in the party whoard as a suitable companion By her side, therefore, we sallied forth to the destined cover, which was a dingle or copse on the side of an extensive common As we rode thither, I observed to Diana, ”that I did not see h in the field;” to which she replied,--”O no--he's a hty hunter, but it's after the fashi+on of Nis now brushed into the cover, with the appropriate encouragement from the hunters--all was business, bustle, and activity My cousins were soon tooto take any further notice of me, unless that I overheard dickon the horse-jockey whisper to Wilfred the fool--”Look thou, an our French cousin be nat off a' first burst”
To which Wilfred answered, ”Like enow, for he has a queer outlandish binding on's castor”
Thorncliff, however, who in his rude way seemed not absolutely insensible to the beauty of his kinswoman, appeared determined to keep us company more closely than his brothers,--perhaps to watch what passed betwixt Miss Vernon and me--perhaps to enjoy my expected mishaps in the chase In the last particular he was disappointed After beating in vain for the greater part of the th found, who led us a chase of two hours, in the course of which, notwithstanding the ill-o upon my hat, I sustained my character as a horseman to the admiration of my uncle and Miss Vernon, and the secret disappointrace it Reynard, however, proved too wily for his pursuers, and the hounds were at fault I could at this time observe in Miss Vernon's manner an impatience of the close attendance which we received fro lady never hesitated at taking the readiest ratify any wish of the moment, she said to him, in a tone of reproach--”I wonder, Thornie, what keeps you dangling at , when you know the earths above Woolverton- then, Miss Die, for the ht, that he stopt theht that was”
”O fie upon you, Thornie! would you trust to a miller's word?--and these earths, too, where we lost the fox three tiallop there and back in ten o to Woolverton then, and if the earths are not stopt, I'se raddle dick the miller's bones for him”
”Do, my dear Thornie; horsewhip the rascal to purpose--via--fly away, and about it;”--Thorncliff went off at the gallop--”or get horsewhipt yourself, which will serve my purpose just as well--I must teach them all discipline and obedience to the word of coieant--master, and Wilfred, with his deep dub-a-dub tones, that speak but three syllables at a tih shall be my scout-master” ”And will you find no employment for me, most lovely colonel?”
”You shall have the choice of being pay-s puzzle about there Come, Mr Frank, the scent's cold; they won't recover it there this while; follow me, I have a view to show you”
And in fact, she cantered up to the top of a gentle hill, co her eyes around, to see that no one was near us, she drew up her horse beneath a few birch-trees, which screened us fro-field--”Do you see yon peaked, brown, heathy hill, having so like a whitish speck upon the side?”
”Tere of broken moorish uplands?--I see it distinctly”
”That whitish speck is a rock called Hawkes is in Scotland”
”Indeed! I did not think we had been so near Scotland”
”It is so, I assure you, and your horse will carry you there in two hours”
”I shall hardly give hihteen miles as the crow flies”
”You may have my mare, if you think her less blown--I say, that in two hours you may be in Scotland”
”And I say, that I have so little desire to be there, that if ive his tail the trouble of following What should I do in Scotland?”
”Provide for your safety, if I must speak plainly Do you understand me now, Mr Frank?”
”Not a whit; you are more and more oracular”
”Then, on my word, you either mistrust h Osbaldistone hi of what is irave ”
”Upon my word of honour, Miss Vernon,” said I, with an i of her childish disposition to mirth, ”I have not the most distant conception of what you mean I am happy to afford you any subject of anorant in what it consists”
”Nay, there's no sound jest after all,” said the young lady, co herself; ”only one looks so very ridiculous when he is fairly perplexed But the h Do you know one Moray, or Morris, or some such name?”
”Not that I can at present recollect”
”Think a moment Did you not lately travel with somebody of such a nath of time was a fellohose soul seemed to lie in his portmanteau”
”Then it was like the soul of the licentiate Pedro Garcias, which lay a the ducats in his leathern purse That ainst you, as connected with the violence done to him”
”You jest, Miss Vernon!”
”I do not, I assure you--the thing is an absolute fact”
”And do you,” said I, with strong indignation, which I did not atte such a charge?”
”You would calla man--You , as well as leap a five-barred gate”
”And are colonel of a regi how idle it was to be angry with her--”But do explain the present jest to me”
”There's no jest whatever,” said Diana; ”you are accused of robbing this man, and my uncle believes it as well as I did”
”Upon ood opinion!”
”Now do not, if you can help it, snort, and stare, and snuff the wind, and look so exceedingly like a startled horse--There's no such offence as you suppose--you are not charged with any petty larceny or vulgar felony--by nomoney from Government, both specie and bills, to pay the troops in the north; and it is said he has been also robbed of soh treason, then, and not simple robbery, of which I am accused!”
”Certainly--which, you know, has been in all ages accounted the crientleman You will find plenty in this country, and one not far from your elboho think it a overnment by every means possible”
”Neither my politics nor ”
”I really begin to believe that you are a Presbyterian and Hanoverian in good earnest But what do you propose to do?”
”Instantly to refute this atrocious calumny--Before whom,” I asked, ”was this extraordinary accusation laid”