CHAPTER VII.

ofrisk,acoreofconfidencethatnoillluckwouldhappentoher.Butshethoughtofnosuchthing,andcertainlynotofanyrisktheremightbeforhercousin.Ifshehadthoughtofhim,itwouldhavestruckherasadrollpicturethatheshouldbegraduallyfallingbehind,andlookingroundinsearchofgates:afinelitheyouth,whoseheartmustbepantingwithallthespiritofabeagle,stuckasifunderawizard’sspellonastiffclericalhackney,wouldhavemadeherlaughwithasenseoffunmuchtoostrongforhertoreflectonhismortification.ButGwendolenwasapttothinkratherofthosewhosawherthanofthosewhomshecouldnotseeandRexwassoonsofarbehindthatifshehadlookedshewouldnothaveseenhim.ForIgrievetosaythatinthesearchforagate,alongalanelatelymended,Primrosefell,brokehisknees,andundesignedlythrewRexoverhishead. Fortunatelyablacksmith’ssonwhoalsofollowedthehoundsunderdisadvantages,namely,onfoot(aloosewayofhuntingwhichhadstrucksomeevenfrivolousmindsasimmoral),wasnaturallyalsointherear,andhappenedtobewithinsightofRex’smisfortune.Herantogivehelpwhichwasgreatlyneeded,forRexwasagreatdealstunned,andthecompleterecoveryofsensationcameintheformofpain.JoelDaggeonthisoccasionshowedhimselfthatmostusefulofpersonages,whoseknowledgeisofakindsuitedtotheimmediateoccasion:henotonlyknewperfectlywellwhatwasthematterwiththehorse,howfartheywerebothfromthenearestpublic-houseandfromPennicoteRectory,andcouldcertifytoRexthathisshoulderwasonlyabitoutofjoint,butalsoofferedexperiencedsurgicalaid. “Lord,sir,letmeshoveitinagainforyou!I’sseenNash,thebone-setter,doit,anddoneitmyselfforourlittleSallytwiceover.It’salloneandthesame,shouldersis.Ifyou’lltrustentomeandtightenyourmindupabit,I’lldoitforyouinnotime.” “Comethen,oldfellow,”saidRex,whocouldtightenhismindbetterthanhisseatinthesaddle.AndJoelmanagedtheoperation,thoughnotwithoutconsiderableexpenseofpaintohispatient,whoturnedsopitiablypalewhiletighteninghismind,thatJoelremarked,“Ah,sir,youaren’tusedtoit,that’showitis.I’sseelotsandlotso’jointsout.Iseeamanwithhiseyepushedoutonce—thatwasarumgoaseverIsee.Youcan’thaveabito’funwi’outsuchsorto’things.Butitwentinagain.I’sswallowedthreeteethmysen,assureasI’malive.Now,sirrey”(thiswasaddressedtoPrimrose),“comealonk—youmusn’tmakebelieveasyoucan’t.” Joelbeingclearlyalowcharacter,itis,happily,notnecessarytosaymoreofhimtotherefinedreader,thanthathehelpedRextogethomewithaslittledelayaspossible.Therewasnoalternativebuttogethome,thoughallthewhilehewasinanxietyaboutGwendolen,andmoremiserableinthethoughtthatshe,too,mighthavehadanaccident,thaninthepainofhisownbruisesandtheannoyancehewasabouttocausehisfather.Hecomfortedhimselfaboutherbyreflectingthateveryonewouldbeanxioustotakecareofher,andthatsomeacquaintancewouldbesuretoconductherhome. Mr.Gascoignewasalreadyathome,andwaswritinglettersinhisstudy,whenhewasinterruptedbyseeingpoorRexcomeinwithafacewhichwasnotthelesshandsomeandingratiatingforbeingpaleandalittledistressed.Hewassecretlythefavoriteson,andayoungportraitofthefatherwho,however,nevertreatedhimwithanypartiality—rather,withanextrarigor.Mr.GascoignehavinginquiredofAnna,knewthatRexhadgonewithGwendolentothemeetattheThreeBarns. “Whatisthematter?”hesaidhastily,notlayingdownhispen. “I’mverysorry,sirPrimrosehasfallendownandbrokenhisknees.” “Wherehaveyoubeenwithhim?”saidMr.Gascoigne,withatouchofseverity.Herarelygavewaytotemper. “TotheThreeBarnstoseethehoundsthrowoff.” “Andyouwerefoolenoughtofollow?” “Yes,sir.Ididn’tgoatanyfences,butthehorsegothislegintoahole.” “Andyougothurtyourself,Ihope,eh!” “Igotmyshoulderputout,butayoungblacksmithputitinagainforme.I’mjustalittlebattered,that’sall.” “Well,sitdown.” “I’mverysorryaboutthehorse,sirIknewitwouldbeavexationtoyou.” “AndwhathasbecomeofGwendolen?”saidMr.Gascoigne,abruptly.Rex,whodidnotimaginethathisfatherhadmadeanyinquiriesabouthim,answeredatfirstwithablush,whichwasthemoreremarkableforhispreviouspaleness.Thenhesaid,nervously, “Iamanxioustoknow—IshouldliketogoorsendatoncetoOffendene—butsheridessowell,andIthinkshewouldkeepup—therewouldmostlikelybemanyroundher.” “Isupposeitwasshewholedyouon,eh?”saidMr.Gascoigne,layingdownhispen,leaningbackinhischair,andlookingatRexwithmoremarkedexamination. “Itwasnaturalforhertowanttogo:shedidn’tintenditbeforehand—shewasledawaybythespiritofthething.And,ofcourse,Iwentwhenshewent.” Mr.Gascoigneleftabriefintervalofsilence,andthensaid,withquietirony,—“Butnowyouobserve,younggentleman,thatyouarenotfurnishedwithahorsewhichwillenableyoutoplaythesquiretoyourcousin.Youmustgiveupthatamusement.Youhavespoiledmynagforme,andthatisenoughmischiefforonevacation.IshallbegyoutogetreadytostartforSouthamptonto-morrowandjoinStilfox,tillyougouptoOxfordwithhim.Thatwillbegoodforyourbruisesaswellasyourstudies.” PoorRexfelthisheartswellingandcomportingitselfasifithadbeennobetterthanagirl’s. “Ihopeyouwillnotinsistonmygoingimmediately,sir.” “Doyoufeeltooill?” “No,notthat—but—”hereRexbithislipsandfeltthetearsstarting,tohisgreatvexationthenheralliedandtriedtosaymorefirmly,“IwanttogotoOffendene,butIcangothisevening.” “Iamgoingtheremyself.IcanbringwordaboutGwendolen,ifthatiswhatyouwant.” Rexbrokedown.Hethoughthediscernedanintentionfataltohishappiness,nay,hislife.Hewasaccustomedtobelieveinhisfather’spenetration,andtoexpectfirmness.“Father,Ican’tgoawaywithouttellingherthatIloveher,andknowingthatshelovesme.” Mr.Gascoignewasinwardlygoingthroughsomeself-rebukefornotbeingmorewary,andwasnowreallysorryfortheladbuteveryconsiderationwassubordinatetothatofusingthewisesttacticsinthecase.Hehadquicklymadeuphismindandtoanswerthemorequietly, “Mydearboy,youaretooyoungtobetakingmomentous,decisivestepsofthatsort.Thisisafancywhichyouhavegotintoyourheadduringanidleweekortwo:youmustsettoworkatsomethinganddismissit.Thereiseveryreasonagainstit.Anengagementatyouragewouldbetotallyrashandunjustifiableandmoreover,alliancesbetweenfirstcousinsareundesirable.Makeupyourmindtoabriefdisappointment.Lifeisfullofthem.Wehaveallgottobebrokeninandthisisamildbeginningforyou.” “No,notmild.Ican’tbearit.Ishallbegoodfornothing.Ishouldn’tmindanything,ifitweresettledbetweenus.Icoulddoanythingthen,”saidRex,impetuously.“Butit’sofnousetopretendthatIwillobeyyou.Ican’tdoit.IfIsaidIwould,Ishouldbesuretobreakmyword.IshouldseeGwendolenagain.” “Well,waittillto-morrowmorning,thatwemaytalkofthematteragain—youwillpromisemethat,”saidMr.Gascoigne,quietlyandRexdidnot,couldnotrefuse. TherectordidnoteventellhiswifethathehadanyotherreasonforgoingtoOffendenethateveningthanhisdesiretoascertainthatGwendolenhadgothomesafely.Hefoundhermorethansafe—elated.Mr.Quallon,whohadwonthebrush,haddeliveredthetrophytoher,andshehadbroughtitbeforeher,fastenedonthesaddlemorethanthat,LordBrackenshawhadconductedherhome,andhadshownhimselfdelightedw