acutely than the injury.

"You don't mean to say you fell, George?" said Julia, with a look of
positive incredulity.

"Nora did, which comes pretty much to the same thing. We were coming
out of Gore's Wood, and I was leading. There's a high bank with a drop
into Longworth's lawn. It's a place I have taken scores of times. One
can't fly it; you must 'top,' and Nora can do that sort of thing to
perfection; and as I came on I had to swerve a little to avoid some of
the dogs that were climbing up the bank. Perhaps it was that irritated
her, but she rushed madly on, and came full chest against the gripe,
and--I don't remember much more till I found myself actually drenched
with vinegar that old Catty Lalor was pouring over me, when I got up
again, addled and confused enough; but I'm all right now. Do you know,
Ju," said he, after a pause, "I was more annoyed by a chance remark I
heard as I was lying on the grass than by the whole misadventure?"

"What was it, George?"

"It was old Curtis was riding by, and he cried out, 'Who's down?' and
some one said, 'L'Estrange.' 'By Jove,' said he, 'I don't think that
fellow was ever on his knees before;' and this because I was a parson."

"How unfeeling; but how like him!"

"Wasn't it? After all, it comes of doing what is not exactly right.
I suppose it's not enough that I see nothing wrong in a day with the
hounds. I ought to think how others regard it; whether it shocks _them_,
or exposes my cloth to sarcasm or censure. Is it not dinner-hour?"

"Of course it is, George. It's past eight."

"And where's our illustrious guest; has he not appeared?"

"Lord Culduff has gone. There came a note to him from Castello in the
afternoon, and about five o'clock the phaeton appeared at the door--only
with the servants--and his Lordship took a most affectionate leave of
me, charging me with the very sweetest messages for you, and assurances
of eternal memory of the blissful hours he had passed here."

"Perhaps it's not the right thing to say, but I own to you I 'm glad he
's gone."

"But why, George; was he not amusing?"

"Yes, I suppose he was; but he was so supremely arrogant, so impressed
with his own grandness, and our littleness, so persistently eager to
show us that we were enjoying an honor in his presence, that nothing in
our lives could entitle us to, that I found my patience pushed very hard
to endure it."

"I liked him. I liked his vanity and conceit; and I wouldn't for
a