Jack Hinton Part 30

'To-morrow at six.'

'Well, if he has not asked me to meet you, I 'll invite myself, and we 'll go over together.'

'Agreed,' said I. 'But how shall I send back the answer?'

The Major promised to send his servant over with the reply, which I penned at once.

'Just tell Hugh,' said the Major, 'that I'll join you.'

I blushed, stammered, and looked confused. 'I am not writing to Mr.

Dillon,' said I, 'for the invitation came through a lady of the family, Miss Bellew--his niece, I believe.'

'Whew!' said the Major, with a long whistle. 'Is it there we are! Oh, by the powers, Mr. Hinton! that's not fair--to come down here not only to win our money in a steeplechase, but to want to carry off the belle of our county besides. That 'll never do.'

'She doesn't belong to you at all,' said Father Tom; 'she is a paris.h.i.+oner of mine, and so were her father and grandfather before her.

And moreover than that, she is the prettiest girl, and the best too, in the county she lives in--and that's no small praise, for it's Galway I'm talking of. And now here's a b.u.mper to her, and who 'll refuse it?'

'Not I, certainly.'

'Nor I,' said the Major, as we drank to her health with all the honours.

'Now for another jug,' quoth the Major, as he moved towards the fireplace in search of the kettle.

'After that toast, not another drop,' said I resolutely.

'Well said!' chimed in the priest; 'may I never, if that wasn't very Iris.h.!.+'

Firmly resisting all the Major's solicitations to resume my place at the table, I wished both my friends goodnight; and having accepted Bob Mahon's offer of a seat in his tax-cart to the race, I shook their hands warmly, and took my leave.

CHAPTER XXV. THE STEEPLECHASE

I did not awake till past noon the next day, and had only completed my dressing when Major Mahon made his appearance. Having p.r.o.nounced my costume accurate, and suggested that instead of carrying my racing-cap in my hat I should tie the string round my neck and let it hang down in front, he a.s.sisted me on with my greatcoat, in which, notwithstanding that the season was summer, and the day a hot one, he b.u.t.toned me up to the chin and down to the knees.

'There, now,' said he, 'you look mighty like the thing. Where's your whip? We have no time to lose, so jump into the tax-cart, and let us be off.'

As my reader may remember, the race-ground lay about a mile from the town; but the road thither, unlike the peaceful quiet of the preceding night, was now thronged with people on foot and horseback. Vehicles, too, of every description were there--barouches and landaus, hack-chaises, buggies, and jaunting-cars, whiskys, noddies, and, in fact, every species of conveyance p.r.o.nounced capable of rolling upon its wheels, was put into requisition. Nor was the turn-out of cavalry of a character less mixed. Horses of every shape and colour--some fat from gra.s.s; others lean, like anatomical specimens; old and young; the rich and the poor; the high-sheriff of the county, with his flashy four-in-hand; the mendicant on his crutches--all pressed eagerly forward. And as I surveyed the motley ma.s.s I felt what pleasure I could take in the scene, were I not engaged as a princ.i.p.al performer.

On reaching the course we found it already occupied by numerous brilliant equipages, and a strong cavalcade of hors.e.m.e.n; of these the greater number were well mounted, and amused themselves and the bystanders by leaping the various fences around--a species of pastime which occasionally afforded food for laughter, many a soiled coat and broken hat attesting the colour and consistence of the clayey ground.

There were also refreshment-booths, stalls for gaming on a humble scale, tables laid out with beer, hard eggs, and gingerbread--in a word, all the ordinary and extraordinary preparations which accompany any great a.s.semblage of people whose object is amus.e.m.e.nt.

A temporary railing of wood, rudely and hastily put together, inclosed a little s.p.a.ce reserved as a weighing-stand; here the stewards of the course were a.s.sembled, along with 'the dons' of the country; and into this privileged sanctum was I introduced by the Major, in due form. All eyes were turned on me as I entered; and whether from the guardians.h.i.+p of him who acted as my chaperon, or that the costume of my coat and overalls had propitiated their favour, I cannot say; but somehow I felt that there was more courtesy in their looks, and an air of greater civility in their bearing, than I had remarked the preceding day at the Town-hall. True, these were, for the most part, men of better stamp--the real gentry of the country--who, devotedly attached to field-sports, had come, not as betting characters, but to witness a race. Several of them took off their hats as I approached, and saluted me with politeness.

While returning their courtesy, I felt my arm gently touched, and on looking around perceived Mr. Dillon, of Mount Brown, who, with a look of most cordial greeting, and an outstretched hand, presented himself before me.

'You 'll dine with us, Mr. Hinton, I hope?' said he. 'No apology, pray.

You shall not lose the hall, for my girls insist on going to it, so that we can all come in together. There, now, that is settled. Will you permit me to introduce you to a few of my friends? Here's Mr. Barry Connolly wishes much to know you. You 'll pardon me, Mr. Hinton, but your name is so familiar to me through my niece, I forget that we are not old acquaintances.'

So saying, the little man took my arm and led me about through the crowd, introducing me right and left. Of the names, the rank, and the residences of my new friends, I knew as much as I did of the domestic arrangements of the King of Congo; but one thing I can vouch for--more unbounded civility and hospitable attention never did man receive. One gentleman begged me to spend a few days with him at his shooting-lodge in the mountains--another wanted to make up a coursing-party for me--a third volunteered to mount me if I'd come down in the hunting season; one and all gave me most positive a.s.surance that if I remained in the country I should neither lack bed nor board for many a day to come.

But a few days before, and in my ignorance I had set down this same cla.s.s as rude, underbred, and uncivilised; and had I left the country on the preceding evening, I should have carried away my prejudices with me. The bare imitation of his better that the squireen presents was the source of this blunder; the spurious currency had, by its false glitter, deteriorated the sterling coin in my esteem; but now I could detect the counterfeit from the genuine metal.

'The ladies are on this side,' said Mr. Dillon. 'Shall we make our bow to them?'

'You'll not have time, Dillon,' said a friend who overheard his remark: 'here come the horses.'

As he spoke, a distant cheer rose from the bottom of the hill, which, gradually taken up by those nearer, grew louder and louder, till it filled the very air.

'What is it?' said I eagerly.

'It's Jug of Punch,' said a person beside me. 'The mare was bred in the neighbourhood, and excites a great interest among the country-people.'

The crowd now fell back rapidly, and Mr. Burke, seated in a high tandem, dashed up to the weighing-stand, and, giving the reins to his servant, sprang to the ground. His costume was a loose coat of coa.r.s.e drab cloth, beset on every side by pockets of various shapes and dimensions; long gaiters of the same material incased his legs, and the memorable white hat, set most rakishly on his head, completed his equipment.

Scarcely had he put foot to the ground when he was surrounded by a number of his obsequious followers; but, paying little or no attention to their proffered civilities, he brushed rudely through them, and walked straight up to where I was standing. There was an air of swaggering insolence in his manner which could not be mistaken; and I could mark that, in the sidelong glance he threw about him, he intended that our colloquy should be for the public ear. Nodding familiarly, while he touched his hat with one finger, he addressed me.

'Good-morning, sir; I am happy to have met you so soon. There is a report that we are to have no race: may I ask you if there be any ground for it?'

'Not so far as I am concerned,' replied I, in a tone of quiet indifference.

'At least,' resumed he, 'there would seem some colour for the rumour.

Your horse is not here--I understand he has not left the stable--and your groom is among the crowd below. I only asked the question, as it affects my betting-book; there are doubtless here many gentlemen among your friends who would wish to back you.'

This was said with an air of sneering mockery so palpable as to call forth an approving t.i.tter from the throng of satellites at his back.

Without deigning any reply to his observation, I whispered a few words to the Major, who at once, taking a horse from a farmer, threw himself into the saddle and cantered off to the mill.

'In fifteen minutes the time will be up,' said Mr. Burke, producing his watch. 'Isn't that so, Dillon? You are the judge here.'

'Perfectly correct,' replied the little man, with a hasty confused manner that showed me in what awe he stood of his redoubted relative.

'Then in that time I shall call on you to give the word to start; for I believe the conditions require me to ride over the course, with or without a compet.i.tor.'

So saying, Mr Burke proceeded leisurely to unb.u.t.ton his greatcoat, which, with the a.s.sistance of his friends, he drew off. Two sedulous familiars were meanwhile unb.u.t.toning his gaiters, and in a few seconds he stood forth what even my most prejudiced judgment could not deny--the very beau-ideal of a gentleman-rider. His jacket, of black and yellow, bore the stains of more than one race; but his whole carriage, not less than his costume, looked like one who felt every inch the jockey. His mare was led within the ropes to be saddled--a proceeding conducted under his own eye, and every step of which he watched with critical nicety. This done, he sat down upon a bench, and, with watch in hand, seemed to count the minutes as they flew past.

'Here we are! here we are! all right, Hinton!' shouted the Major, as he galloped up the hill. 'Jump into the scale, my lad; your saddle is beside you. Don't lose a moment.'

'Yes, off with your coat,' said another, 'and jump in!'

Divesting myself of my outer garments with a speed not second to that of Mr. Burke, I took my saddle under my arm, and seated myself in the scale. The groom fortunately had left nothing undone, and my saddle being leaded to the required weight, the operation took not a minute.

'Saddle now as quickly as you can,' whispered Dillon; 'for Burke, being overweight, won't get into the scale.'

While he was yet speaking, the gallant grey was led in, covered with clothing from head to tail.

'All was quite right,' said Mahon, in a low whisper--'your horse won't bear a crowd, and the groom kept him stabled to the last moment. You are in luck besides,' continued he: 'they say he is in a good temper this morning--and, indeed, he walked up from the mill as gently as a lamb.'