liant rout, the next a rich banquet, the next
a great assembly; she drove in the Mall in her stateliest equipages; she
walked upon its promenade, surrounded by her crowd of courtiers, smiling
upon them, and answering them with shafts of graceful wit--the charm of
her gaiety had never been so remarked upon, her air never so enchanting.
At every notable gathering in the World of Fashion she was to be seen.
Being bidden to the Court, which was at Hampton, her brilliant beauty and
spirit so enlivened the royal dulness that 'twas said the Queen herself
was scarce resigned to part with her, and that the ladies and gentlemen
in waiting all suffered from the spleen when she withdrew. She bought at
this time the fiercest but most beautiful beast of a horse she had ever
mounted. The creature was superbly handsome, but apparently so
unconquerable and so savage that her grooms were afraid to approach it,
and indeed it could not be saddled and bitted unless she herself stood
near. Even the horse-dealer, rogue though he was, had sold it to her
with some approach to a qualm of conscience, having confessed to her that
it had killed two grooms, and been sentenced to be shot by its first
owner, and was still living only because its great beauty had led him to
hesitate for a few days. It was by chance that during these few days
Lady Dunstanwolde heard of it, and going to see it, desired and bought it
at once.

"It is the very beast I want," she said, with a gleam in her eye. "It
will please me to teach it that there is one stronger than itself."

She had much use for her loaded riding-whip; and indeed, not finding it
heavy enough, ordered one made which was heavier. When she rode the
beast in Hyde Park, her first battles with him were the town talk; and
there were those who bribed her footmen to inform them beforehand, when
my lady was to take out Devil, that they might know in time to be in the
Park to see her. Fops and hunting-men laid wagers as to whether her
ladyship would kill the horse or be killed by him, and followed her
training of the creature with an excitement and delight quite wild.

"Well may the beast's name be Devil," said more than one looker-on; "for
he is not so much horse as demon. And when he plunges and rears and
shows his teeth, there is a look in his eye which flames like her own,
and 'tis as if a male and female demon fought together, for surely such a
woman never lived before. She will not let him conqu