IN THE BIDWG-SCHOOL. 77 



pupil, whose attention is distracted by a thousand 

 things, and who learns less in a year than she 

 would in a month in school. There is no finish 

 about the riding of a woman so taught. She 

 may be pretty, as you said of one of your friends, 

 she may be self-possessed, like the other, but 

 she will betray her ignorance every moment. 

 You were surprised just now at what I said of 

 the society young lady. A woman can't cheat 

 an old riding-master, after he has seen her in 

 the saddle. He knows her and her little ways 

 by heart. Shall we start up ? Ah !" 



Ronald, the "steady as a rock," was off and 

 away at a canter ; Theodore was starting to 

 gallop in pursuit, but was sharply ordered back 

 by the master, who went on himself at a rather 

 slow canter, ready to break into a gallop if his 

 pupil were thrown, but keeping out of Ronald's 

 hearing, lest he should be further startled by 

 finding himself followed. There was a clear 

 stretch of road before her, and Esmeralda sat 

 down as firmly as possible, brought her left knee 

 up against the pommel, clung firmly with her 

 right knee, held her hands low and her thumbs 

 as firm as possible, and thought very hard. 



