he'd jump if I
gave him a lead." But Phineas was again making the attempt, urging
the horse with spurs, whip, and voice. He had brought himself now
to that condition in which a man is utterly reckless as to falling
himself,--or even to the kind of fall he may get,--if he can only
force his animal to make the attempt. But Dandolo would not make
the attempt. With ears down and head outstretched, he either stuck
obstinately on the brink, or allowed himself to be forced again and
again into the ditch. "Let me try it once, Mr. Finn," said Madame
Goesler in her quiet way.

She was riding a small horse, very nearly thoroughbred, and known as
a perfect hunter by those who habitually saw Madame Goesler ride.
No doubt he would have taken the fence readily enough had his rider
followed immediately after Lord Chiltern; but Dandolo had baulked at
the fence nearly a dozen times, and evil communications will corrupt
good manners. Without any show of violence, but still with persistent
determination, Madame Goesler's horse also declined to jump. She put
him at it again and again, and he would make no slightest attempt to
do his business. Phineas raging, fuming, out of breath, miserably
unhappy, shaking his reins, plying his whip, rattling himself about
in the saddle, and banging his legs against the horse's sides, again
and again plunged away at the obstacle. But it was all to no purpose.
Dandolo was constantly in the ditch, sometimes lying with his side
against the bank, and had now been so hustled and driven that, had he
been on the other side, he would have had no breath left to carry his
rider, even in the ruck of the hunt. In the meantime the hounds and
the leading horsemen were far away,--never more to be seen on that
day by either Phineas Finn or Madame Max Goesler. For a while, during
the frantic efforts that were made, an occasional tardy horseman was
viewed galloping along outside the covert, following the tracks of
those who had gone before. But before the frantic efforts had been
abandoned as utterly useless every vestige of the morning's work
had left the neighbourhood of Broughton Spinnies, except these two
unfortunate ones. At last it was necessary that the defeat should be
acknowledged. "We're beaten, Madame Goesler," said Phineas, almost in
tears.

"Altogether beaten, Mr. Finn."

"I've a good mind to swear that I'll never come out hunting again."

"Swear what you like, if it will relieve you, only don't think of