depends very much on what line he may
happen to take when he breaks cover," returned Lawless. My mother, who
had been previously advised of Lawless's sporting metaphors, concluding
that the "he" referred to Sir John Oaklands, calmly replied:--

"Yes, certainly, I was mentioning the ruins of Saworth Abbey to Sir John
yesterday; do you know them?"

"I should think I did--rather," exclaimed Lawless, forgetting his
company manners in the interest of the subject. "Why, I have seen more
foxes run into in the fields round Saworth than in any other parish in
the country. Whenever the meet is either at Grinder's End or Chorley
Bottom, the fox is safe to head for Saworth. Oh! I see you're up to the
whole thing, Mrs. Fairlegh; we shall have you showing all of us the way
across country in fine style to-morrow. 1 expect there'll be some pretty
stiff fencing though, if he should take the line you imagine, but
I suppose you don't mind anything of that sort; with a steady,
well-trained hunter (and a lady should never ride one that is not),
there's very little danger--take care to keep out of the crowd when
you're getting away; don't check your horse at his fences; have a little
mercy on his bellows over the heavy ground; and with a light weight like
yours you might lead the field. Why, Frank, you ought to be proud of
Mrs. Fairlegh. I tell you what--the first time the hounds meet near
Leatherly, I'll have my mother out, whether she likes it or not. I'll
stand no nonsense about it, you may depend; she shall see a run for once
in her life, at all events. Mrs. Fairlegh, ma'am," he continued, rising
and shaking her warmly by the hand, "excuse my saying so, but you're a
regular brick--you are indeed!"

~325~~ The scene at this moment would not have made a bad study for a
painter. Oaklands, having struggled in vain to preserve his gravity,
was in fits of laughter. Fanny, who had from the first perceived
the equivoque, was very little better, while my mother, completely
mystified, sat staring at Lawless, whom she evidently considered a
little insane, with an expression of bewildered astonishment, not
unmixed with fear. As soon as I could contrive to speak (for Lawless's
face, when he had discovered the effect he had produced, completely
finished me, and I laughed till the tears ran down my cheeks), I
explained to him that it was my sister, and not my mother, who was
thinking of riding, while the notion of hunting originated wholly and
solel