Anthony Trollope

“ Both Peregrine and Miss Tristram looked back. 'There's nothing wrong I hope,' said the lady; and then she rode on. And let it be understood that in hunting those who are in advance generally do ride on. The lame and the halt and the wounded, if they cannot pick themselves up, have to be picked up by those who come after them. But Peregrine saw that there was no one else coming that way. The memory of young Grubbles' fate had placed an interdict on that pass out of the wood, which nothing short of the pluck and science of Miss Tristram was able to disregard. ”

“ Talkers are apt to think that if their listener cannot answer them they are bound to give way; but non-talkers generally take a very different view of the subject.'
'But does that go to show that a question should not be ventilated?' asked Felix.
'I don't mean to be uncivil,' said the baron, 'but of all words in the language there is none which I dislike so much as that word ventilation. A man given to ventilating subjects is worse than a man who has a mission.'
'Bores of that sort, however,' said Graham, 'will show themselves from time to time and are not easily put down. ”

“ He was now sitting down, with his feet hanging into the ditch, and Peregrine was kneeling behind him. 'I am sorry I can do nothing more,' said he; 'but I fear we must remain here till the cart comes.'
'I am—so—vexed—about your hunt,' said Felix, gasping as he spoke. He had in fact broken his right arm which had been twisted under him as the horse rolled, and two of his ribs had been staved in by the pommel of his saddle. Many men have been worse hurt and have hunted again before the end of the season, but the fracture of three bones does make a man uncomfortable for the time. ”

“ He felt as though he were engaged to fight a battle in which truth and justice, nay heaven itself must be against him. How can a man put his heart to the proof of an assertion in the truth of which he himself has no belief? ”

“ But Peregrine Orme would not avoid a fence at which a lady was not afraid to ride; and Felix Graham, knowing little but fearing nothing, followed Peregrine Orme.
At the end of the roadway, in the middle of the track, there was the gap. For a footman it was doubtless the easiest way over the fence, for the ditch on that side was half filled up, and there was space enough left of the half-broken bank for a man's scrambling feet; but Miss Tristram at once knew that it was a bad place for a horse. ”

“ When he entered the drawing-room both the judges were there, as was also Lady Staveley and Madeline. Augustus alone was wanting. 'Ring the bell, Graham,' the judge said, as Felix took his place on the corner of the rug. 'Augustus will be down about supper-time.' And then the bell was rung and the dinner ordered.
'Papa ought to remember,' said Madeline, 'that he got his carriage first at Alston.'
'I heard the wheels of the gig,' said the judge. 'They were just two minutes after us.'
'I don't think Augustus takes longer than other young men,' said Lady Staveley. ”

“ You don't know the way; you are heavy yourself, and your boots are very heavy. You must stay therefore; but as you are no doctor you don't in the least know what is the amount of the injury. In your great trouble you begin to roar for assistance; but the woods re-echo your words, and the distant sound of the huntsman's horn, as he summons his hounds at a check, only mocks your agony.
But Peregrine had a boy with him. 'Get upon that horse,' he said at last; 'ride round to Farmer Griggs, and tell them to send somebody here with a spring cart. ”

“ And then Peregrine came after them leading Graham's horse. He had been compelled to return to the field and ride both the horses back into the wood, one after the other, while the footman held them. That riding back over fences in cold blood is the work that really tries a man's nerve. And man has to do it too when no one is looking on. ”

“ I always begrudge to see you get well for that reason.'
'When you have a man in your power you like to keep him there.'
'That's always the way with the women you know. I hope we shall see one of them tying you by the leg altogether before long.'
'I don't know anything about that,' said Felix, sheepishly.
'Don't you? Well, if you don't I suppose nobody don't. But nevertheless I did hear a little bird say ——— eh! Mr. Graham.'
'Those little birds are the biggest liars in the world.'
'Are they now? Well perhaps they are. And how do you think our Miss Madeline is looking? ”

“ Felix Graham was a man who would remember such things.
In running through the wood the boy first encountered three horsemen. They were the judge, with his daughter Madeline and Miss Furnival. 'There be a mon there who be a'most dead,' said the boy, hardly able to speak from want of breath. 'I be agoing for Farmer Griggs' cart.' And then they stopped him a moment to ask for some description, but the boy could tell them nothing to indicate that the wounded man was one of their friends. ”

“ How was he to find an opportunity of speaking his mind to Madeline, if, during the short period of his sojourn at Noningsby, he left the house every morning directly after breakfast, and returned to it in the evening only just in time for dinner? ”

“ There are men who are much too forward in believing that they are regarded with favour; but there are others of whom it may be said that they are as much too backward. The world hears most of the former, and talks of them the most, but I doubt whether the latter are not the more numerous. ”

“ I don't know why you should suppose me to be anxious that you should fail.' And as he so spoke he stopped his horse at the hall-door, and there was no time for further speech.
'Papa has been home a quarter of an hour,' said Madeline, meeting them in the hall.
'Yes, he had the pull of us by having his carriage ready,' said her brother. 'We had to wait for the ostler.'
'He says that if you are not ready in ten minutes he will go to dinner without you. ”

“ If you leave a wounded man on the damp ground, in the middle of winter, while you run away, five miles perhaps, to the next doctor, he may not improbably—as you then think—be dead before you come back. ”

“ I know pretty well what my friend Graham is driving at.'
'And in your heart you agree with me,' said Graham.
'If you would carry men's heads with you they would do you more good than their hearts,' said the judge. And then as the wine bottles were stationary, the subject was cut short and they went into the drawing-room.
Graham had no opportunity that evening of telling his tale to Madeline Staveley. The party was too large for such tale-telling or else not large enough. ”