His friends had been as prophetic in their warnings as January’s were, but even, they never guessed what he would have to endure at the hands of that cruel May.  He tried very hard not to be jealous, but he could not help being sensitive; and so, day by day, she inflicted on him the peine forte et dure, “laying on him as much as he could bear, and more.”  It was sad to see how the kind old man withered and pined away; yet he never complained, and quarreled mortally with his best friend for daring to compassionate him.

He was so courteous, and gentle, and chivalrous; so conscious of his own disadvantage in age; so generous in trusting her, and in hoping against hope; so considerate in anticipating all her wishes and whims, that it might have moved even Flora to pity.  But her great disappointment had strangely altered and imbittered her character.  She was quite merciless now, and never seemed really amused unless she was doing harm to some one.

It was not that her manner had become harsh or repellent, or even more sarcastic; she wag to the full as fascinating as ever; but she was cool and calculating in her caprices.  She took pains to make the momentary pleasure as exquisite as possible, that the after suffering might be more terrible; just like that ingenious Borderer who fed his enemy with all pungent and highly-seasoned dishes, and then left him to die of thirst.

Yet all the while her own feelings must have been scarcely enviable.  They say that great enchantresses, from Medea and Circe downward, have generally been unhappy in their loves.  Either they could not raise the spirit, or it proved unmanageable; either their affection was not returned, or its object was unfaithful at last.  In the single case where they put their science and their philtres aside, and were womanly, and natural, and sincere; where, to gain or to keep their treasure, they would gladly have broken their wand, they failed utterly, and found they were only half omnipotent.  The justice was retributive, but it was very complete.  Be sure, with those passionate natures, the honey of a thousand triumphs never deadened the sting of the one discomfiture.  Suitors flocking from every shore and island of the AEgean never made Sappho forget, for one hour, that stubborn impassible Phaon.  No wonder such are cruel and unjust to their subjects in after days.  Poor innocent AEgeus very often has to do penance for the infidelity of Jason.

I have little more to tell, and that is of the sort that is best told briefly.

The hounds met one morning not far from Kerton.  A three-days’ frost had broken up; but it was not out of the ground yet, making the “take-off” slippery, and the north side of the fences dangerously hard.  Livingstone rode the Axeine that day.  The chestnut was still his favorite, and the crack hunter of three counties, though he had never lost his habit of pulling.

It was a large, straggling cover that we drew, but the fox went away very soon.  From the lower end of the wood a great pasture sloped down, at the bottom of which was a flight of post-and-rails—­very high, new, and strong, with a deep cutting on the farther side.  At one end of this was an open gate, through which the whole field passed.