and his poor smashed flanks heaving faintly.
But Mauve, the bright jacket torn, soiled,
smeared, lies stiff and stark on a bank as if he
were dead.
The doctor is presently feeling him all over.
Must be bled at once. Other doctors, looking
after the horse, pronounce it is all over with him,
and that he must be shot on the spot.
Others not so near, talked of it, straining their
necks to get a view. "I saw it, by Jove! He
rode over on him, as sure as I am standing here. I
was as close as I am to you." Excited men from
the top shelf of the flower-stand, with extra
strong glasses, and opera-glass cases slung about
them like canteens, came panting up. "He ' cannoned'
him, didn't he? I'm sure he did! Who
was close—who saw? He was winning, I'll
swear!" But no one was so frantic as Mr.
Madden. For the better enjoyment of what he
had an instinct would take place at this stage, he
had posted himself close to the stone wall, but in
secure shelter. He was tossing his arms. "I
saw it all; the 'King' was coming beautifully to
it." He was furious and savage, and threatened
frightful penalties.
From the Manuel carriage had been seen an
indistinct ruin of men and horses crumbling
down together. The second girl had the opera-
glass, the others were all excited and in a flurry
with Hanbury's victory. "I knew he would
win," said Miss Manuel; "did I not tell you?"
But she noticed the restless way her sister was
looking towards the stone wall.
"Pauline, some one is hurt. I am sure of it.
Do you see the crowd? I am afraid that some
one is killed. O! Louis! Louis! run and see
what has happened."
Pauline turned suddenly and looked at her
sharply; the other dropped her eyes.
The brother went to fetch news. Just as he
got up, a doctor was saying something about
concussion, and giving directions for removal,
with quiet, &c. "Stand back," he had to say
every instant; and a thoughtful crowd, pressing
on him all the time, called out to others, "Stand
back!"
The brother came back, but Mr. Hanbury did
not. "Well?" the two sisters said together.
"He is hurt," said he, "and very seriously, I
think."
Even the eldest Miss Manuel showed some
eagerness, some agitation.
"Hurt? No, it can't be. Go on. Tell us
about it," she said.
But the second girl, a little flushed, was
gathering up her black lace shawl about her in a
restless fashion.
"He is quite insensible," he went on, "and
no one seems to be able to say whether he is
alive or dead. I didn't see a doctor there, and
they don't appear to know what to do."
The younger girl had her hands clasped, and
gave a cry. "O! let us go," she said. "Don't
let us leave him to those rough people."
"Go! No! no! What could we do?" said
her sister, irresolutely. She was thinking how
cold, how unjust she had been to this poor
steeple-chaser.
"Don't let us lose time," said the other, opening
the door herself and springing out. "He has
no friends here—we might lend our carriage—
we might be useful. Come!" and, with a flush
on her cheek, and a decision in her speech quite
unusual, she took hold of her brother's arm, and
they walked towards the group.
There was a sort of sporting doctor there, who
was busy with exploring and appraisings. In
the centre lay out with closed eyes, with a face as
white, and dull, and close in texture as marble,
the luckless Mauve rider. His wrist, which the
doctor had been feeling, when let go, dropped
upon the Mauve chest with a heavy inert sound.
The brother felt his sister's arm tremble in his.
"If there were any house quite close, quite
close," said the doctor (whose sleeves were turned
over as if he were about to begin an operation at
once), "or if a roomy open phaeton could be got
that we could lay him in at length——" and he
looked round.
A very crisp neat-looking gentleman, seeming
as if he were a clean cast from a mould—whose
grey whiskers, if one took the liberty of touching
them, would crackle as if made of wire—came up
to the doctor, and said: "Just the very thing! our
carriage—not twenty yards off. Only too happy;
shall have it brought up at once. Beg your
pardon, excuse me." This he said with extraordinary
courtesy to a poor racing Fool in a
battered cap and tarnished scarlet hunting-coat,
and who, utterly bewildered by the civility, allowed
him to pass.
"Very good," said the doctor, again looking
round. "But the barracks are out of the question
—two miles away, and a broiling day like this."
John Hanbury, with hands clasped, and a face
of the most abject despair and horror, was standing
beside the Manuels, quite stupified. He had
hardly noticed them.
"Has he no friends close by?" said the
doctor, "just to take him in for a few hours—
some one in those houses there, eh?" and he
nodded at an incomplete terrace close by.
John Hanbury woke up. "To be sure," he
said, hurriedly; "the very thing! Won't you?"
he said to the younger girl. " Of course you will."
She understood this ellipse at once. "Yes,
yes!" she said to him; "let him come!"
"Come! Where?" said her sister.
"To our house. Yes, he must," said the
younger girl, excitedly; " it is only humanity!"
Her sister was overpowered by her eagerness.
"But—" she began.
"Thanks, thanks," said Hanbury; "here is
the carriage." And the fresh crisp gentleman
was pushing through the crowd. "Now, please."
"Gently, gently," said the doctor; and Fermor
was raised softly, and carried as softly to a little
open phaeton.
"My house is so far away, on the hill there,
that really I should be delighted," said the crisp
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