90 IN THE HIDING-SCHOOL. 



them ! You wish you were — oh ! anywhere. 

 This is your obedience, is it, Esmeralda ? Well, 

 you don't care ! This is dull ! Your horse 

 thinks so, too. He gently tries the reins, and, 

 finding that you offer no resistance, he decides 

 to take a little exercise, and starts off at a canter, 

 keeping away from the wall most piously, avoid- 

 ing the corners as if some Hector might be in 

 ambuscade there to catch and tame him, and 

 rushing on faster and faster, as you do nothing 

 in particular to stop him. 



" Lean to the right," cries the master, and 

 you obey, but the horse continues his canter, 

 almost a gallop now, when suddenly your wits 

 return to you, you draw back first the right 

 hand and then the left, he begins to trot, and 

 by some miracle you begin to rise, and continue 

 to do it, you do not know exactly how, feeling 

 a delight in it, an exhilarating, exultant sensa- 

 tion as if flying. " Keep your right leg close 

 to the saddle below the knee and turn your toes 

 in ! ' You obey, and even remember to press 

 your left knee to the saddle also and to keep 

 your heel down. " Don't rise to the left ! Rise 

 straight ! Your horse is circling to the right, 



