and distant ever after: instead of that, he appeared not only
to have forgotten all former offences, but to be impenetrable
to all present incivilities. Formerly, the slightest hint, or
mere fancied coldness in tone or glance, had sufficed to repulse
him: now, positive rudeness could not drive him away. Had
he heard of my disappointment; and was he come to witness
the result, and triumph in my despair? I grasped my whip
with more determined energy than before--but still forbore
to raise it, and rode on in silence, waiting for some more
tangible cause of offence, before I opened the floodgates of
my soul and poured out the dammed-up fury that was
foaming and swelling within.

'Markham,' said he, in his usual quiet tone, 'why do you
quarrel with your friends, because you have been disappointed
in one quarter? You have found your hopes defeated; but
how am I to blame for it? I warned you beforehand, you
know, but you would not-----'

He said no more; for, impelled by some fiend at my
elbow, I had seized my whip by the small end, and--swift
and sudden as a flash of lightning--brought the other
down upon his head. It was not without a feeling of savage
satisfaction that I beheld the instant, deadly pallor that
overspread his face, and the few red drops that trickled down
his forehead, while he reeled a moment in his saddle, and
then fell backward to the ground. The pony, surprised to
be so strangely relieved of its burden, started and capered,
and kicked a little, and then made use of its freedom to go
and crop the grass of the hedge-bank: while its master lay
as still and silent as a corpse. Had I killed him?--an icy
hand seemed to grasp my heart and check its pulsation, as I
bent over him, gazing with breathless intensity upon the
ghastly, upturned face. But no; he moved his eyelids and
uttered a slight groan. I breathed again--he was only
stunned by the fall. It served him right--it would teach him
better manners in future. Should I help him to his horse?
No. For any other combination of offences I would; but
his were too unpardonable. He might mount it himself, if

-113-