Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

6 REYNOLDS’ WORKS he had experienced on former occasions more severe falls than the present one. ‘The best thing you can do, my lord,” said Hawkshaw, “is to get back to the castle and go to bed. You must lie up for two or three days, at the end of which time you will be perfectly recovered.” “Decidedly I shall follow your advice,” responded Staunton. ‘‘ Come, let me lean on your arm, Flo, and yours, too, aunt, for I feel somewhat weak, which is to be ex- pected.”’ ‘God be thanked it is no worse!’’ said Lady Macdonald, as she gave her nephew her arm, while Florina fervently echoed her elderly relative’s words. ‘“T can’t fancy how the deuce you could have managed it,’ said Mr. Hawkshaw, leading his horse by the bridle, as the party moved slowly onward toward the castle. ‘“‘ You cleared the gate in beautiful style; nobody could have done it better. J watched you as narrowly as possible the whole time, and it seemed to me that when landing on the opposite side you were as firm in your saddle as at the moment the horse made the spring. But all of a sudden you disap- peared as if shot by some unseen hand.” “TI myself can scarcely tell how it did occur,” replied Harold, speaking in a voice that seemed very feeble and weak. ‘““T don’t know whether it was a sudden dizziness, or a loss of balance, or whether the horse shied at the moment — ”’ “No, that I can swear he didn’t,’’ exclaimed Hawkshaw. ‘““ He never swerved a hair’s breadth to right or left, but went straight on as he always does. However, the harm’s done, and there is no more use in talking about it. At the same time, my lord, I don’t think that your reputation need “be considered damaged as a good equestrian, for you certainly took the gate gallantly; and there is no mistake about that.” The party reached the castle, and Lord Harold was con- ducted up to his chamber, where he got to bed, declaring his intention of remaining there for a day or two. The incident appeared to throw a damp upon the spirits of every one, the gloom being genuine in some respects, feigned, no doubt, in others. Mr. Hawkshaw, who was a generous and frank- hearted man, expressed himself in the kindest terms relative to Harold, and two or three times in the course of the day he ascended to his lordship’s chamber to inquire how he felt. Gomichbooks (E(0)