Squire John himself was in the saddle, and shewed all the world that he could hold his own with the smartest cavalier present, and everytime he looked at his wife he seemed to be twenty years younger, and his face beamed at the thought that she was such a pretty woman and he was her husband.
Three prizes had been fixed for the best foxhound: the first was a golden goblet with an inscription on it, the second was a silver hunting-horn, and the third a beautiful bear-skin; and no doubt the victorious foxhound would, personally, have been most grateful for the last.

Most of the competing dogs, tied together in couples, were led along by the men-servants; but each of the favourite foxhounds was brought on to the ground in a cart, lest any of the horses should kick it.

Naturally none of the company carried fire-arms; it is not usual to have them at a fox-hunt.
As the whole merry company was approaching the end of the long avenue of Italian poplars, they perceived a solitary horseman trotting towards them from the opposite end of the avenue.
Even at a distance every one recognized him at once from his mode of riding, and like quick fire the rumour spread amongst the company; ah, at last he has arrived! Who was it, then, who had arrived at last?
Why, who else but the most gallant of cavaliers, the most daring of courtiers, who had only to come, see, and conquer--Mike Kis, the Whitsun King! In a moment he had reached the cavalcade, and was apologizing to the ladies for having remained away so long, conveying the impression, from slight allusions he let drop, that some serious business, a duel perhaps, had detained him; then he proceeded to make his excuses to the gentlemen, allowing it to be supposed that some tender affair, a private assignation for instance, was the cause of his delay.

Then, shaking hands right and left, and even finding time to throw a word or two to each of the foxhounds by name, he politely begged those who thronged him to make way, as he wished to pay his respects immediately to Madame Karpathy, whom, without the slightest embarrassment, he began to call a goddess, an angel on horseback, and other pretty names.
Unfortunately Fanny misunderstood him, and, regarding everything he said as so many capital jokes, rewarded them with far more laughter than their merits deserved.
"Squire John, Squire John!" cried Dame Marion, in a shrill, pointed sort of tone, to Karpathy, who was trotting beside her carriage, "if I were you I would not have a bosom friend who has the reputation of being irresistible." "I am not jealous, your ladyship; that is the one little wheel which is wanting in my mechanism.

I suppose it was left out of me when I was made--ha, ha, ha!" "Then, if I were you, I would not come to a fox-hunt, lest my dogs should regard me as an Actaeon." "To give your ladyship cause to conduct yourself towards me like Diana, eh ?" Dame Marion pouted, and turned her head aside; the man was such a blockhead that he absolutely could not understand any attempt to aggravate him.
And now the company trotted merrily on again.
The course had been chosen outside a village, and in front of it a pleasure-house had been erected.