44 Lady Lee 



companion. I applied my handkerchief to the wound, 

 but it was swept away by the crimson torrent. I 

 seized a blanket from the bewildered coachman, who 

 was standing beside his panting team ; but it also 

 was quickly saturated. ' My God ! ' I cried, ' must 

 I stand here and see the life go out of this lovely 

 creature without a possibility of checking it ? Is 

 there no Power that, recognizing an heroic sacrifice, 

 yet permits the innocent victim to suffer ? Are we 

 indeed in Hebrew times, when lambs, doves, and 

 embodied innocence must be sacrificed on the altar 

 of human pride ? ' And then in my heart I cursed 

 the demon Fashion, that puts torturing appliances 

 at the sides of horses' mouths to make them champ 

 and prance ; that docks their tails, and trims their 

 hoofs down to the quick ; that loads them with 

 heavy-plated harnesses, jingling and irritating chains, 

 and pointed poles to pierce the necks of innocent 

 dumb companions. What I said, what I did, I only 

 partially remember ; but I know a weeping girl clung 

 to me, while we both stroked the head of our friend 

 dying before us. There she lay upon the freshly- 

 started grass, her strength failing at every heart-throb. 



