332 WINTER IN THE SHIRES 



with their heels. But if it is all in good temper on 

 the part of the steeds, the same can hardly be said 

 of the riders. The jostling, and the chance of a 

 humiliating accident, throw some gentlemen off their 

 mental balance, who are already uneasy as to the 

 " safety of their seats " ; and it would appear that 

 some lowering clouds are flitting across the general 

 hilarity. But the hospitality of the worthy master 

 brings incipient unkindness to a check. The meet 

 at the kennels means a meeting on the lawn, where 

 the disappearance of the frost is demonstrated con- 

 clusively by the cutting up of the turf and furrowing 

 of the gravel. The long tables are spread in the old 

 oak hall, among family portraits, under polished rafters 

 and scutcheoned panels. The genial host goes about 

 among his scarlet-coated guests, hail-fellow-well-met 

 with everybody ; and the ladies of the household, 

 as they do the honours of the tea and coffee, light up 

 the sombre old banqueting-hall with their smiles. 

 There is a pretty lively clatter of knives and forks, 

 intermingled with the clash of cups and glasses. Those 

 who do not sit down to the more substantial fare, gather 

 round the decanters on buffets and sideboards ; while 

 the liveried serving-men are busy out of doors handing 

 brimming tankards to yeomen and outsiders. If the 

 horses are full of fire and oats, their exuberant spirits 

 will soon be counterbalanced by the circulation of 

 jumping powder among the gentlemen of the hunt ; 

 and if sharp retorts were bandied a few minutes before, 

 there is a general drowning of all unpleasantness. Only, 



