158 m THE RIDING-SCHOOL. 



XI. 



Ride as though you were flying. 



Mrs. Norton. 



ROSS," Esmeralda? Why? Because 

 having had seven lessons of various 

 sorts, and two rides, you do not 

 feel yourself to be a brilliant horse- 

 woman ? Because you cannot trot more than 

 half a mile, and because you cannot flatter 

 yourself that it would be prudent for you to 

 imitate your favorite English heroines, and to 

 order your horse brought around to the hall 

 door for a solitary morning canter? And you 

 really think that you do well to be angry, and 

 that, had your teacher been as discreet and as 

 entirely admirable as you feel yourself to be, 

 you would be more skilful and better informed ? 

 Very well, continue to think so, but pray do 

 not flatter yourself that your mental attitude 

 has the very smallest fragment of an original 

 line, curve or angle. Thus, and not otherwise, 



