I only made the passing reflection, that if he played the ungracious landlord, I would remain the shorter while his guest, and then hastened to salute Miss Vernon, who advanced cordially to meet me.

Some show of greeting also passed between my cousins and me; but as I saw them maliciously bent upon criticising my dress and accoutrements, from the cap to the stirrup-irons, and sneering at whatever had a new or foreign appearance, I exempted myself from the task of paying them much attention; and assuming, in requital of their grins and whispers, an air of the utmost indifference and contempt, I attached myself to Miss Vernon, as the only person in the party whom I could regard as a suitable companion.

By her side, therefore, we sallied forth to the destined cover, which was a dingle or copse on the side of an extensive common.

As we rode thither, I observed to Diana, "that I did not see my cousin Rashleigh in the field;" to which she replied,--"O no--he's a mighty hunter, but it's after the fashion of Nimrod, and his game is man." The dogs now brushed into the cover, with the appropriate encouragement from the hunters--all was business, bustle, and activity.

My cousins were soon too much interested in the business of the morning to take any further notice of me, unless that I overheard Dickon the horse-jockey whisper to Wilfred the fool--"Look thou, an our French cousin be nat off a' first burst." To which Wilfred answered, "Like enow, for he has a queer outlandish binding on's castor." Thorncliff, however, who in his rude way seemed not absolutely insensible to the beauty of his kinswoman, appeared determined to keep us company more closely than his brothers,--perhaps to watch what passed betwixt Miss Vernon and me--perhaps to enjoy my expected mishaps in the chase.