ting; nor does it improve the matter much if we
stand still, as one should do by rights."

"That would be very slow."

"You need not be afraid. They never do here. Everybody will be
rushing about as though the very world depended on their galloping."

"I'm so glad; that's just what I like."

"Everybody except Lord Alston, Miss Tristram, and, the other old
stagers. They will husband their horses, and come out as fresh at
two o'clock as though they were only just out. There is nothing so
valuable as experience in hunting."

"Do you think it nice seeing a young lady with so much hunting
knowledge?"

"Now you want me to talk slander, but I won't do it. I admire the
Miss Tristrams exceedingly, and especially Julia."

"And which is Julia?"

"The youngest; that one riding by herself."

"And why don't you go and express your admiration?"

"Ah, me! why don't we all express the admiration that we feel, and
pour sweet praises into the ears of the lady that excites it? Because
we are cowards, Miss Furnival, and are afraid even of such a weak
thing as a woman."

"Dear me! I should hardly have thought that you would suffer from
such terror as that."

"Because you don't quite know me, Miss Furnival."

"And Miss Julia Tristram is the lady that has excited it?"

"If it be not she, it is some other fair votary of Diana at present
riding into Monkton Wood."

"Ah, now you are giving me a riddle to guess, and I never guess
riddles. I won't even try at it. But they all seem to be stopping."

"Yes, they are putting the hounds into covert. Now if you want to
show yourself a good sportsman, look at your watch. You see that
Julia Tristram has got hers in her hand."

"What's that for?"

"To time the hounds; to see how long they'll be before they find.
It's very pretty work in a small gorse, but in a great wood like this
I don't care much for being so accurate. But for heaven's sake don't
tell Julia Tristram; I should not have a chance if she thought I was
so slack."

And now the hounds were scattering themselves in the wood, and the
party rode up the centre roadway towards a great circular opening in
the middle of it. Here it was the recognised practice of the horsemen
to stand, and those who properly did their duty would stand there;
but very many lingered at the gate, knowing that there was but one
other exit from the wood, without overcoming the difficulty of a very
intricate and dangerous fence.

"There be a gap, b