On the next day there was hunting again, and Phineas was mounted on a
horse more amenable to persuasion than old Dandolo. There was a fair
run in the morning, and both Phineas and Madame Max were carried
well. The remarkable event in the day, however, was the riding of
Dandolo in the afternoon by Lord Chiltern himself. He had determined
that the horse should go out, and had sworn that he would ride him
over a fence if he remained there making the attempt all night. For
two weary hours he did remain, with a groom behind him, spurring the
brute against a thick hedge, with a ditch at the other side of it,
and at the end of the two hours he succeeded. The horse at last made
a buck leap and went over with a loud grunt. On his way home Lord
Chiltern sold the horse to a farmer for fifteen pounds;--and that
was the end of Dandolo as far as the Harrington Hall stables were
concerned. This took place on the Friday, the 8th of February. It was
understood that Mr. Spooner was to return to Spoon Hall on Saturday,
and on Monday, the 11th, Phineas was to go to London.
Pages:
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301