The lady breathed a low thunder:  ‘Coward!’

‘He cannot have intended to insult you,’ said Nesta.

’That man knows I will not notice him.  He is a beast.  He will learn that I carry a horsewhip.’

‘Are you not taking a little incident too much to heart?’

The sigh of the heavily laden came from Mrs. Marsett.

’Am I pale?  I dare say.  I shall go on my knees tonight hating myself that I was born “one of the frail sex.”  We are, or we should ride at the coward and strike him to the ground.  Pray, pray do not look distressed!  Now you know my Christian name.  That dog of a man barks it out on the roads.  It doesn’t matter.’

‘He has offended you before?’

’You are near me.  They can’t hurt me, can’t touch me, when I think that I ’m talking with you.  How I envy those who call you by your Christian name!’

‘Nesta,’ said smiling Nesta.  The smile was forced, that she might show kindness, for the lady was jarring on her.

Mrs. Marsett opened her lips:  ’Oh, my God, I shall be crying!—­let’s gallop.  No, wait, I’ll tell you.  I wish I could!  I will tell you of that man.  That man is Major Worrell.  One of the majors who manage to get to their grade.  A retired warrior.  He married a handsome woman, above him in rank, with money; a good woman.  She was a good woman, or she would have had her vengeance, and there was never a word against her.  She must have loved that—­Ned calls him, full-blooded ox.  He spent her money and he deceived her.—­You innocent!  Oh, you dear!  I’d give the world to have your eyes.  I’ve heard tell of “crystal clear,” but eyes like yours have to tell me how deep and clear.  Such a world for them to be in!  I did pray, and used your name last night on my knees, that you —­I said Nesta—­might never have to go through other women’s miseries.  Ah me!  I have to tell you he deceived her.  You don’t quite understand.’

‘I do understand,’ said Nesta.

’God help you!—­I am excited to-day.  That man is poison to me.  His wife forgave him three times.  On three occasions, that unhappy woman forgave him.  He is great at his oaths, and a big breaker of them.  She walked out one November afternoon and met him riding along with a notorious creature.  You know there are bad women.  They passed her, laughing.  And look there, Nesta, see that groyne; that very one.’  Mrs. Marsett pointed her whip hard out.  ’The poor lady went down from the height here; she walked into that rough water look!—­steadying herself along it, and she plunged; she never came out alive.  A week after her burial, Major Worrell—­I ‘ve told you enough.’

’We ‘ll gallop now,’ said Nesta.