about this time a steeple-chase in the west of england had attracted considerable attention. this sport was then of recent introduction in england, and is, in fact, an importation of irish growth, although it has flourished in our soil. a young guardsman, who was then a guest at the castle, and who had been in garrison in ireland, had some experience of this pastime in the kildare country, and he proposed that they should have a steeple-chase at coningsby. this was a suggestion very agreeable to the marquess of beaumanoir, celebrated for his feats of horsemanship, and, indeed, to most of the guests. it was agreed that the race should come off at once, before any of the present company, many of whom gave symptoms of being on the wing, had quitted the castle. the young guardsman and mr. guy flouncey had surveyed the country and had selected a line which they esteemed very appropriate for the scene of action. from a hill of common land you looked down upon the valley of coningsby, richly cultivated, deeply ditched, and stiffly fenced; the valley was bounded by another rising ground, and the scene was admirably calculated to give an extensive view to a multitude.
the distance along the valley was to be two miles out, and home again; the starting-post being also the winning-post, and the flags, which were placed on every fence which the horses were to pass, were to be passed on the left hand of the rider both going and coming; so that although the horses had to leap the same fences forward and backward, they could not come over the same place twice. in the last field before they turned, was a brook seventeen feet clear from side to side, with good taking off both banks. here real business commenced.
lord monmouth highly approved the scheme, but mentioned that the stakes must be moderate, and open to the whole county. the neighbourhood had a week of preparation, and the entries for the coningsby steeple-chase were numerous. lord monmouth, after a reserve for his own account, placed his stable at the service of his guests. for himself, he offered to back his horse, sir robert, which was to be ridden by his grandson.
now, nothing was spoken or thought of at coningsby castle except the coming sport. the ladies shared the general excitement. they embroidered handkerchiefs, and scarfs, and gloves, with the respective colours of the rivals, and tried to make jockey-caps. lady st. julians postponed her intended departure in consequence. madame colonna wished that some means could be contrived by which they might all win.
sidonia, with the other competitors, had ridden over the ground and glanced at the brook with the eye of a workman. on his return to the castle he sent a despatch for some of his stud.
coningsby was all anxiety to win. he was proud of the confidence of his grandfather in backing him. he had a powerful horse and a firstrate fencer, and he was resolved himself not to flinch. on the night before the race, retiring somewhat earlier than usual to his chamber, he observed on his dressing-table a small packet addressed to his name, and in an unknown handwriting. opening it, he found a pretty racing-jacket embroidered with his colours of pink and white. this was a perplexing circumstance, but he fancied it on the whole a happy omen. and who was the donor? certainly not the princess lucretia, for he had observed her fashioning some maroon ribbons, which were the colours of sidonia. it could scarcely be from mrs. guy flouncey. perhaps madame colonna to please the marquess? thinking over this incident he fell asleep.
the morning before the race sidonia’s horses arrived. all went to examine them at the stables. among them was an arab mare. coningsby recognised the daughter of the star. she was greatly admired for her points; but guy flouncey whispered to mr. melton that she never could do the work.
‘but lord beaumanoir says he is all for speed against strength in these affairs,’ said mr. melton.
guy flouncey smiled incredulously.
the night before the race it rained rather heavily.
‘i take it the country will not be very like the deserts of arabia,’ said mr. guy flouncey, with a knowing look to mr. melton, who was noting a bet in his memorandum-book.
the morning was fine, clear, and sunny, with a soft western breeze. the starting-post was about three miles from the castle; but, long before the hour, the surrounding hills were covered with people; squire and farmer; with no lack of their wives and daughters; many a hind in his smock-frock, and many an ‘operative’ from the neighbouring factories. the ‘gentlemen riders’ gradually arrived. the entries were very numerous, though it was understood that not more than a dozen would come to the post, and half of these were the guests of lord monmouth. at half-past one the cortège from the castle arrived, and took up the post which had been prepared for them on the summit of the hill. lord monmouth was much cheered on his arrival. in the carriage with him were madame colonna and lady st. julians. the princess lucretia, lady gaythorp, mrs. guy flouncey, accompanied by lord eskdale and other cavaliers, formed a brilliant company. there was scarcely a domestic in the castle who was not there. the comedians, indeed, did not care to come, but villebecque prevailed upon flora to drive with him to the race in a buggy he borrowed of the steward.
the start was to be at two o’clock. the ‘gentlemen jockeys’ are mustered. never were riders mounted and appointed in better style. the stewards and the clerk of the course attend them to the starting-post. there they are now assembled. guy flouncey takes up his stirrup-leathers a hole; mr. melton looks at his girths. in a few moments, the irrevocable monosyllable will be uttered.
the bugle sounds for them to face about; the clerk of the course sings out, ‘gentlemen, are you all ready?’ no objection made, the word given to go, and fifteen riders start in excellent style.
prince colonna, who rode like prince rupert, took the lead, followed close by a stout yeoman on an old white horse of great provincial celebrity, who made steady running, and, from his appearance and action, an awkward customer. the rest, with two exceptions, followed in a cluster at no great distance, and in this order they continued, with very slight variation, for the first two miles, though there were several ox-fences, and one or two of them remarkably stiff. indeed, they appeared more like horses running over a course than over a country. the two exceptions were lord beaumanoir on his horse sunbeam, and sidonia on the arab. these kept somewhat slightly in the rear.
almost in this wise they approached the dreaded brook. indeed, with the exception of the last two riders, who were about thirty yards behind, it seemed that you might have covered the rest of the field with a sheet. they arrived at the brook at the same moment: seventeen feet of water between strong sound banks is no holiday work; but they charged with unfaltering intrepidity. but what a revolution in their spirited order did that instant produce! a masked battery of canister and grape could not have achieved more terrible execution. coningsby alone clearly lighted on the opposing bank; but, for the rest of them, it seemed for a moment that they were all in the middle of the brook, one over another, splashing, kicking, swearing; every one trying to get out and keep others in. mr. melton and the stout yeoman regained their saddles and were soon again in chase. the prince lost his horse, and was not alone in his misfortune. mr. guy flouncey lay on his back with a horse across his diaphragm; only his head above the water, and his mouth full of chickweed and dockleaves. and if help had not been at hand, he and several others might have remained struggling in their watery bed for a considerable period. in the midst of this turmoil, the marquess and sidonia at the same moment cleared the brook.
affairs now became interesting. here coningsby took up the running, sidonia and the marquess lying close at his quarters. mr. melton had gone the wrong side of a flag, and the stout yeoman, though close at hand, was already trusting much to his spurs. in the extreme distance might be detected three or four stragglers. thus they continued until within three fields of home. a ploughed field finished the old white horse; the yeoman struck his spurs to the rowels, but the only effect of the experiment was, that the horse stood stock-still. coningsby, sidonia, and the marquess were now all together. the winning-post is in sight, and a high and strong gate leads to the last field. coningsby, looking like a winner, gallantly dashed forward and sent sir robert at the gate, but he had over-estimated his horse’s powers at this point of the game, and a rattling fall was the consequence: however, horse and rider were both on the right side, and coningsby was in his saddle and at work again in a moment. it seemed that the marquess was winning. there was only one more fence; and that the foot people had made a breach in by the side of a gate-post, and wide enough, as was said, for a broad-wheeled waggon to travel by. instead of passing straight over this gap, sunbeam swerved against the gate and threw his rider. this was decisive. the daughter of the star, who was still going beautifully, pulling double, and her jockey sitting still, sprang over the gap and went in first; coningsby, on sir robert, being placed second. the distance measured was about four miles; there were thirty-nine leaps; and it was done under fifteen minutes.
lord monmouth was well content with the prowess of his grandson, and his extreme cordiality consoled coningsby under a defeat which was very vexatious. it was some alleviation that he was beaten by sidonia. madame colonna even shed tears at her young friend’s disappointment, and mourned it especially for lucretia, who had said nothing, though a flush might be observed on her usually pale countenance. villebecque, who had betted, was so extremely excited by the whole affair, especially during the last three minutes, that he quite forgot his quiet companion, and when he looked round he found flora fainting.
‘you rode well,’ said sidonia to coningsby; ‘but your horse was more strong than swift. after all, this thing is a race; and, notwithstanding solomon, in a race speed must win.’
