CHAPTER VIII 



liural life in liall and Held : a ball and a wound (conspqncncos alike common in 



love and war)- 



The period of our hero's brief visit to the metropolis of all 

 that is gay and voluptuous having- expired, he set out again for 

 Amstead Abbey, where his arrival was hailed with joy by all 

 parties, and by none more than Jem Perren and the huntsman. 

 But Frank Raby came under the denomination of ' one whom 

 everybody likes,' a characteristic which, indeed, he preserved to 

 the last day of his life. 



Shortly after his return to the Abbey, a grand entertainment 

 was given by a neighbouring Baronet — intended to have been 

 given under the canopy of heaven, in his beautiful grounds ; 

 but a shower of rain making its appearance — which caused 

 his lady to declare she had a great mind to go and live in that 

 country where no rain falls — the company adjourned to the 

 mansion-house, which had ample means of accommodating 

 them. A ball, at night, was the result, and as it was the first 

 at which our hero had appeared since he had assumed the 

 manly gown, he was an object of some interest in the 

 assembly. 



' What a fine young man Frank Raby is become ! ' was the 

 remark overheard in one quarter. 



' He has a very manly appearance, in addition to his good 

 looks,' was whispered in another. 



' How like a gentleman he looks ! ' in a third. 



' There appears to be no aflTectation about him,' in a 

 fourth. 



' God never made a coxcomb worth a groat,' muttered a 

 gouty old gentleman, who overheard the last encomium ; ' there 

 never was a bad Raby yet, and I think Frank will keep up the 

 charter, as well as his brother Andrew.' 



' Oh ! ' remarked a fair lady, who liad two daughters in the 

 room, ' 1 think Andrew is superior of the two. It is true, 



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