IN THE RIDING-SCHOOL. 171 



dance here.' That would not be the way to do. 

 Dance, and again dance, and if you make a little 

 mistake, dance again ! The mistake is of the 

 past ; it is not matter for troubling ; dance again, 

 and do not make it again. And so of riding, ride, 

 and again ride ! Try all ways. Take your foot 

 out of the stirrup sometimes, and slip it back 

 again without stopping your horse, and when you 

 can do it at the walk, do it at the trot, and keep 

 rising ! And learn not to be afraid to keep 

 trotting after you are a little tired. Keep trot- 

 ting ! Keep trotting ! Then you will know 

 real pleasure, and you will not hurt your horses, 

 as you will if you pull them up just as they 

 begin to enjoy the pace. And then" — looking 

 very hard at nothing at all, and not at you, 

 Esmeralda, as your guilty soul fancies — "and 

 then, gentlemen will not be afraid to ride with 

 you for fear of spoiling their horses by checking 

 them too often." 



And with this he goes away, and oh ! Esmer- 

 alda, does not the society young lady make life 

 pleasant for you and Nell in the dressing-room, 

 until the beauty attracts general attention by 

 stating that she has had an hour of torment ! 



