FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86  
87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   >>   >|  
one with Gwendolen to the meet at the Three Barns. "What is the matter?" he said hastily, not laying down his pen. "I'm very sorry, sir; Primrose has fallen down and broken his knees." "Where have you been with him?" said Mr. Gascoigne, with a touch of severity. He rarely gave way to temper. "To the Three Barns to see the hounds throw off." "And you were fool enough to follow?" "Yes, sir. I didn't go at any fences, but the horse got his leg into a hole." "And you got hurt yourself, I hope, eh!" "I got my shoulder put out, but a young blacksmith put it in again for me. I'm just a little battered, that's all." "Well, sit down." "I'm very sorry about the horse, sir; I knew it would be a vexation to you." "And what has become of Gwendolen?" said Mr. Gascoigne, abruptly. Rex, who did not imagine that his father had made any inquiries about him, answered at first with a blush, which was the more remarkable for his previous paleness. Then he said, nervously-- "I am anxious to know--I should like to go or send at once to Offendene--but she rides so well, and I think she would keep up--there would most likely be many round her." "I suppose it was she who led you on, eh?" said Mr. Gascoigne, laying down his pen, leaning back in his chair, and looking at Rex with more marked examination. "It was natural for her to want to go: she didn't intend it beforehand--she was led away by the spirit of the thing. And, of course, I went when she went." Mr. Gascoigne left a brief interval of silence, and then said, with quiet irony,--"But now you observe, young gentleman, that you are not furnished with a horse which will enable you to play the squire to your cousin. You must give up that amusement. You have spoiled my nag for me, and that is enough mischief for one vacation. I shall beg you to get ready to start for Southampton to-morrow and join Stilfox, till you go up to Oxford with him. That will be good for your bruises as well as your studies." Poor Rex felt his heart swelling and comporting itself as if it had been no better than a girl's. "I hope you will not insist on my going immediately, sir." "Do you feel too ill?" "No, not that--but--" here Rex bit his lips and felt the tears starting, to his great vexation; then he rallied and tried to say more firmly, "I want to go to Offendene, but I can go this evening." "I am going there myself. I can bring word about Gwendolen, if that is what
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86  
87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Gascoigne

 

Gwendolen

 

laying

 

Offendene

 
vexation
 

spoiled

 

spirit

 

amusement

 

silence

 

interval


mischief

 

vacation

 

squire

 

gentleman

 

enable

 

furnished

 

observe

 

cousin

 

immediately

 

starting


evening
 

firmly

 

rallied

 

insist

 

Stilfox

 

Oxford

 

morrow

 

Southampton

 

bruises

 

comporting


swelling

 

studies

 

nervously

 

fences

 

follow

 

shoulder

 

battered

 

blacksmith

 
fallen
 

broken


Primrose

 
hastily
 
matter
 
severity
 
hounds
 
temper
 
rarely
 

suppose

 

leaning

 

natural