Page:Lesbia Newman - Dalton - 1889.djvu/53

 cause, you'll only be martyred by a bad one. I guess the trials of life are not to be given the slip by just hiding your light in order not to be eccentric. Won’t you be hunted down by small worries and ignoble sufferings after you have turned tail and cut your mission? Why, the young lady who hasn’t the courage to stick up for women’s rights, is just the one to be made spiteful and miserable for weeks because Count Alamode took her sister down to the ball-supper instead of herself.’

‘“A Daniel come to judgment!”’ exclaimed Lesbia, regarding her new friend with genuine and sympathetic admiration.

‘Well, act on the judgment, dear,’ answered the other. ‘Now I guess we mustn’t keep Rose and the little beast waiting any longer.’

The Vicar and his niece took their leave soon after the others, and during the drive home, which was rather windy and cold, she was in high spirits. She had got just such a bull pup as her fancy pictured; she had been much interested by the conversation at luncheon; above all, she had met for the first time with one of her own sex who could understand her views and back up her endeavours. All this combined to make her feel happy that afternoon; but most of our pleasures in this world have their drawback of one kind or another, beforehand or afterwards; and this happy day was not to end without its contretemps.

A trifling one occurred, even on the way home. As they passed out of Frogmore under the railway bridge, the Happy-golucky Express from London to Northeasterton thundered over it at sixty miles an hour; and the old pony, usually imperturbable, took fright and made a dash which grazed the enamelled panel of the carriage against the brick wall.

‘Jib, you old fool!’ scolded Mr Bristley, lashing him up, ‘what do you see to shy at on the way, that makes you, behave like that ass of Balaam’s, eh?’