the Ayrshire lairds were startled out of their
propriety, and there was a general fear that she would meet some
terrible accident. And Lizzie, instigated by jealousy, learned to
ride as hard, and as they rode against each other every day, there
was a turmoil in the hunt. Morgan, scratching his head, declared that
he had known "drunken rampaging men," but had never seen ladies so
wicked. Lizzie did come down rather badly at one wall, and Lucinda
got herself jammed against a gate-post. But when Christmas was
come and gone, and Portray Castle had been left empty, no very bad
accident had occurred.

A great friendship had sprung up between Mrs. Carbuncle and Lizzie,
so that both had become very communicative. Whether both or either
had been candid may, perhaps, be doubted. Mrs. Carbuncle had been
quite confidential in discussing with her friend the dangerous
varieties of Lucinda's humours, and the dreadful aversion which she
still seemed to entertain for Sir Griffin. But then these humours
and this aversion were so visible, that they could not well be
concealed;--and what can be the use of confidential communications if
things are kept back which the confidante would see even if they were
not told? "She would be just like that whoever the man was," said
Mrs. Carbuncle.

"I suppose so," said Lizzie, wondering at such a phenomenon in
female nature. But, with this fact understood between them to be a
fact,--namely, that Lucinda would be sure to hate any man whom she
might accept,--they both agreed that the marriage had better go on.

"She must take a husband, some day, you know," said Mrs. Carbuncle.

"Of course," said Lizzie.

"With her good looks, it would be out of the question that she
shouldn't be married."

"Quite out of the question," repeated Lizzie.

"And I really don't see how she's to do better. It's her nature, you
know. I have had enough of it, I can tell you. And at the pension,
near Paris, they couldn't break her in at all. Nobody ever could
break her in. You see it in the way she rides."

"I suppose Sir Griffin must do it," said Lizzie laughing.

"Well;--that, or the other thing, you know." But there was no doubt
about this;--whoever might break or be broken, the marriage must go
on. "If you don't persevere with one like her, Lady Eustace, nothing
can be done." Lizzie quite concurred. What did it matter to her
who should break, or who be broken, if she could only sail her own
little bark without das