"Who hunts, doth oft in danger ride;
Who hawks, lures oft both far and wide;
Who uses games, shall often prove
A loser; but he who falls in love
Is fettered in fond Cupid's snare.
My Angle breeds me no such care."
_The Complete Angler._
An idea had occurred to Godseier Jensen which had filled the mind of
the worthy proprietor and horse breeder. He had discussed the idea
with his neighbours in all its branches, and had appealed to his
paternal Government to assist him. The idea was a horse race, after
the English model. Tentative advertisements appeared in the Danish and
Swedish papers, and the replies in the support of the idea came in
from all sides. A few Swedish noblemen owned race-horses, and they
gave in their adhesion and support. The local horse-breeders and
dealers were eager in its support, and the Government expressed their
intention of assisting, in the hope that it might encourage the
breeding of better class horses.
John Hardy was early consulted in the movement, and heard a great deal
of good advice and well-intentioned talk on the subject of horses and
horse racing in particular. A prominent feature in the idea was
naturally where the races should be held, and on this point John
Hardy, at one time, thought the whole affair would fall through.
A field was, however, found that gave a course round it of one and a
quarter English miles, the soil was light, and the field did not make
the best racing ground; but there was no better to be secured for the
purpose, and the consequence was it was determined on. A grand stand
was erected, and the course staked out, the day fixed, and the entries
for the races were anxiously waited for by Herr Jensen, who acted as
honorary secretary. They at last were able to arrange several flat
races, a hurdle race--the hurdles rather low--a trotting match, a
steeple-chase, and a consolation race. The steeple-chase course was
down a sharpish incline, with a water jump at the bottom, and some
fences specially erected, and about the middle of the course a stone
wall of loose stones. This course was well in view of the grand stand,
as well as from the middle of the flat-race course.
John Hardy was implored by proprietor Jensen to enter Buffalo for the
steeple-chase, but he declined, on the ground that he preferred to
look on, and did not like risking so favourite a horse in a
steeple-chase race. Herr Jensen was in despair; he himself and all his
friends and acquaintances felt more interest in the steeple-chase than
all the rest put together. The only entries for the race were some
horses belonging to a cavalry regiment, but of these there were only
four. The pressure that was brought to bear on Hardy was so great,
that he saw he should give serious offence if he did not let Buffalo
be entered for the steeple-chase. He, however, explained to proprietor
Jensen that his servant, Robert Garth, would ride, but that his orders
would be to ride carefully, avoid the other horses, and not press
Buffalo. Now a fresh difficulty arose. The cavalry horses were entered
by the subalterns of the regiment, who would ride the horses
themselves, and the Englishman was going to send his servant to ride
against them. There was the insular pride and bad taste of the English
exemplified, and, in the end, John Hardy had to ride his own horse,
very much against his will.
The auspicious day dawned, and crowds attended, bearing positive
testimony to the popularity of Herr Jensen's idea.
The Pastor declined to go; he said he thought it was no place for him.
"It is a day of amusement where a black coat and the notion of a
sermon appears out of place."
The Jensens insisted on taking Froken Helga and her two brothers, who,
since they had heard that Hardy was to ride, were intensely excited.
"I have prayed that you will win, Herr Hardy," said Axel, who was
always a quiet lad in manner, and had become more so since his
acquaintance with Hardy.
"I am going to take care of my good horse, Axel," said Hardy. "I do
not intend to risk his being injured by throwing him down or letting
the other horses get too near, and, besides, I should not like to
win."
"And why not?" said Helga. "I cannot understand a man riding in a race
and not doing his best to win it."
"Your sympathies are with the cavalry officers, and I should please
you best by not winning," said Hardy.
"There is your professed superiority again," retorted Helga; "you say
you are going to let the others win, suggesting that you could win the
race if you chose to do so. I do not believe you can, and think you
are afraid to ride hard. You speak of taking care of your horse, which
means yourself."
John Hardy looked her full in the face, with a stern expression he
sometimes had. What she had said would have galled any man, and Hardy
felt it keenly.
The races began, and were well ridden, and ridden to win. There was no
betting that John Hardy heard of. He and his servant Garth were asked,
on the horses being trotted out, as to the probable winners, which
they were able to indicate from their knowledge of what is and is not
racing condition in a horse, and they were generally correct.
The trotting match was a failure; there were several entries, but only
one horse trotted both heats round the course, the others had not been
trained properly or sufficiently. The hurdle race yielded much
amusement; many horses had entered for that race, and several refused
to jump at all, and there were many falls, to the delight of the
populace, and only three horses went through the race, which was won
by a neck, the three coming well in together.
When the steeple-chase race was prepared for, Garth brought up
Buffalo, looking, as he always did, a grand horse, and amongst the
more horsey of the Danes there was much praise of him. John Hardy
mounted; he had taken off his coat, waistcoat, and braces, and Garth
had tied a blue silk handkerchief on his head. There was a quiet look
of efficiency about John Hardy that was a contrast to the heavy
mustachios cultivated by the cavalry officers and their rather weedy
steeds. There was trouble in getting a start from the restiveness of
one of the cavalry horses and the difficulty his rider experienced in
managing it, but once away they swept down the slope, Buffalo two
horse lengths behind. The water jump reached, the cavalry horses
rushed into it, and Hardy had a difficulty in steering clear of the
floundering men and horses and letting Buffalo fly the water jump. The
water jump had been specially prepared, and was very shallow, and
Danish horses appeared to have considered it was best to gallop
through it. As it was the rule of the race that the jump must be
taken, they were, by that rule, out of the race. They, however, kept
on and rode well, taking the fences and wall, with Buffalo going wide
of them in the rear. When they came to the rising ground again,
corresponding to the slope they had ridden down, the Danish horses
began to show signs of being ridden out of hand, and Buffalo passed
easily in a canter, taking his fences as quietly as if at exercise,
and came in an easy winner. The course had been about four to five
English miles, a little too long, thought Hardy, for the Danish
horses. Proprietor Jensen came forward to congratulate Hardy, and to
thank him for enabling the race to be made interesting to them all.
The prize was a silver cup, but Hardy declined to accept it, to the
astonishment of stout proprietor Jensen and his friends.
"What in the name of the devil's skin and bones does the man mean?"
said Herr Jensen, with some heat. "Why, you have won it, and rode so
well that it has been a pleasure to us all to see you."
"The race has not been a fair one," said Hardy; "my horse has been
specially trained for this sort of work, the horses I rode against
have not, I therefore wish the cup given to the second horse."
The Danish officers pressed Hardy to take the cup, but Hardy was firm.
They spoke to him in that manly way habitual with Danish gentlemen,
and Hardy liked them. They went up to Buffalo, which Robert Garth was
leading up and down to cool; and Hardy induced one of the officers to
try Buffalo at one of the small fences erected for the hurdle race;
and when he came back, the Danish cavalry officer said, "Why, you
could have ridden away from us from the first!"
"No doubt," said Hardy.
"And you did not, because you did not wish to let the race appear a
hollow one," said the officer, "and it would disappoint so many."
"I only entered my horse for the race," said Hardy, "under great
pressure, not until I saw I should give offence to Godseier Jensen and
many others who have been kind to me. They wanted to see my horse
race. I intended to have let my servant ride, but when I heard I
should have to ride against Danish gentlemen, I rode myself."
"What a charger he would make!" said one of the cavalry officers.
"He is too light in bone," said Hardy. "I am an officer in the
yeomanry cavalry of my country, and use a bigger framed horse as a
charger."
"We will take the cup because it is your wish, Herr Hardy," said the
officer, "but you must come and dine with some of us to-morrow, and
bring your horse, and let the other men of our regiment see it. We are
much obliged to you. You have taught us what we have heard of, and
that is a hunting-seat. Cavalry men cannot go well across country,
riding, as we do, with a cavalry seat. We dine at three. Ask for Baron
Jarlsberg."
Hardy accepted, and went up to the grand stand where Fru Jensen and
her daughters were and Froken Helga Lindal. He had changed his clothes
for a black morning coat and tweed trousers. The last race was being
ran.
"Herr Jensen has sent me to see you to your carriage, Fru Jensen,"
said Hardy; "he is much occupied with his duties of honorary
secretary, and settling the usual disputes that arise."
"And was that you with a blue handkerchief round your head and nothing
on but a flannel shirt?" asked Fru Jensen.
"Yes," said Hardy; "but I had other garments on than a flannel shirt."
"Of course," said Fru Jensen, "of course; but if I were your mother, I
should be afraid of your catching cold."
"But when, Fru Jensen, we ride a race, we have to be dressed for it,
and the less clothes we have the better."
"And you have won the race, I hear," said Fru Jensen; "but I did not
know who won, and I see it is a silver cup. It will be something to
take back to England. Your father, Helga, will be glad to hear Herr
Hardy is to have a silver cup."
Helga had perception enough to see that she had wounded Hardy in the
early part of the day and that he had not forgotten it. He said
nothing to her, but gave Fru Jensen his arm, and conducted them to the
Jensen's carriage, a heavy four-wheeled conveyance, arranged to carry
eight, by seats placed one after the other in a sort of four-wheeled
dogcart with a long body.
It had been a great desire of proprietor Jensen to have a dinner of a
public character after the races, but this it was found not
practicable to carry out within anything like a reasonable hour,
according to Danish notions, and the consequence was Herr Jensen had
to content himself with asking as many of his own friends and his
friends' friends as he could to his own Herregaard. He was in the best
possible humour. The races had gone off without a hitch, and every one
had congratulated him. He had been told he had made a great hit with
his Englishman, as the officers of the Danish cavalry regiment were
delighted with him. It was, however, positively necessary that the
worthy proprietor should return home to receive his friends.
"Where is the Englishman?" he inquired, as he came to the carriage.
"Here," said Hardy. "The ladies are waiting for you, and the carriage
is ready to start."
John Hardy was going to sit by the side of one of Herr Jensen's
daughters, but he would not have it. The proprietor must talk over the
races with Hardy, and he did, so volubly that Hardy could scarcely
understand him. "I never saw anything so smart as the way you took
those fences after passing the other horses! It was grand to see your
horse going easily over about a foot above them; and the way you came
in past the judges was splendid. I must say I did not like your
refusal to take the prize; it was only a cup that cost us about L5 of
your money, but it was the prize for all that, and was well won. If it
was the smallness of its value," said the worthy proprietor, carried
away by his enthusiasm, "I would give you a dozen such. They lost the
race at once by not taking the water jump and galloping their horses
through it without jumping it. I saw you were in a difficulty, but the
way you held your horse and took the water jump was good. I did like
the way also in which you spoke to the cavalry officers and letting
one of them ride your horse over one of the hurdle jumps, and so let
him see that they had been nowhere, and that you could have beaten
them at any point of the race. After all, I think you were right to
give up the cup with such a superior horse, but very few men would
have done it, but the way you did it is what has made such a good
impression. Come and stay with me as long as you like! There is a
little river through my property with trout in it, you may catch them
all if you like."
"Thank you, Herr Jensen," said Hardy, "but I return to England
shortly. I will, however, come over, with your permission, and fish
your river, which is a little tributary to the Gudenaa, and I hear has
some good trout in it. We have not liked to ask your leave, because
you might have other friends for whom you would wish to reserve the
fishing."
"If I had," said the proprietor, "I would give it you; nothing would
give me greater pleasure than to return your kindness to me. You gave
up your own wishes about the racing only to oblige me; you did not
wish to ride or risk your horse, but you did it to oblige me."
"Thank you very much," said Hardy. "May I take Pastor Lindal's two
sons, Karl and Axel, with me to fish? They will not depopulate the
stream."
"You may take anybody," said Herr Jensen, warmly.
Froken Helga heard this conversation, and it showed her how
differently Hardy had acted from what she had suggested to him in the
morning before the races. Herr Jensen's unqualified praise had let her
see how good Hardy had been, and how considerate for others, and she
had accused him of being a coward and only caring for himself.
When they came to proprietor Jensen's Herregaard, Hardy jumped out of
the carriage, and assisted Fru Jensen and her daughters out, but to
Froken Helga Lindal he only extended his arm, so that she might rest
her hand on it on her descending from the carriage. She would have
spoken, but Hardy was gone.
The dinner at proprietor Jensen's was a very lively affair. Early in
the dinner he proposed the Englishman's health, and Hardy responded
briefly; and then came many other toasts, and the ultimate conclusion
was there was nothing like horse-racing, and as the evening wore on,
so did the fogginess of the subject. Hardy had sent Garth to his
stables with Buffalo after the race, and told him to fetch them at
Herr Jensen's Herregaard at an early hour with the carriage, and Hardy
drove himself, talking to Garth, who sat beside him. Karl and Axel had
preferred to stay to see the last festivities of the races and to walk
home, consequently Froken Helga sat by herself in the carriage, and
Hardy, after seeing her safely in and well cared for, did not address
a word to her. They drove to the parsonage, and Hardy drove to the
stables with Garth, to see Buffalo after his extra work that day, and
Hardy walked back.
The Pastor was smoking his pipe, listening to the events of the day as
described by Karl and Axel. "You won your race. Hardy," said Pastor
Lindal; "and the boys say easily."
"Yes, I won the race I rode," said Hardy.
"And, father, he would not take the cup, that is the prize he won; he
said his horse was a better horse, and gave it to the man who came in
second, and a long way behind he was," said Karl.
Froken Helga knitted, but did not look up.
"And did you not see the race, Helga?"
"Yes, father," said Helga; "and I saw Herr Hardy win it."
"But what is the matter, Helga?" asked her father, with some hardness.
"Father, I have been wrong," said Helga. "Herr Hardy said he did not
wish to risk his horse, and that he did not wish to win the race, but
that he could easily if he chose. I did not like his professing to be
so superior over us Danes, and I told him so, and that he was afraid
to ride his horse, and that he knew he would not win. I now know that
what he said was quite true, and that he has behaved well."
"You should have heard how they cheered him when he came in," said
Karl.
"I do think, Helga, if you made so insulting a speech to Herr Hardy,"
said the Pastor, with some asperity, "that it should be withdrawn. To
tell a man that he is a coward and has false pride is too galling, and
when not a single ground for it exists the more so. You might thereby
have tempted him to risk his life, to say nothing of his horse."
Helga burst into tears.
Hardy rose and held out his hand to her. "I hope," he said, "you will
think no more of this; I shall not. Your saying what you have to your
father is enough for me. I do hope you will believe me when I say that
after so frank an admission that I shall only respect the strong
national feeling that prompted you. I admit a Danish gentleman can do
all I can and possibly more."
"You are a gentleman, Hardy," said the Pastor.
Helga took Hardy's hand coldly, and left the room. She had made a
mistake and had atoned, that was all.
The next day Hardy rode Buffalo, attended by Garth on one of the
Danish horses, to the quarters of the cavalry regiment, and was
received with much kindness. A dinner had been arranged at a hotel
near, and the men and officers of the regiment regarded Buffalo with
much interest. One after the other asked leave to mount him and ride
him a short distance over a bit of grass adjoining the cavalry
barracks. Hardy let them inspect the horse to their hearts' content.
His winning the race so easily the day before had its special value.
Hardy's knowledge of cavalry accoutrements and horses was another
point of common interest. He rode several of the best horses of the
regiment, but preferred changing their heavy military bridles to his
own light snaffle, and the effect was marked, and was noted by the
cavalry officers.
At dinner, the cup of the day before was produced, and Hardy had to
drink out of it.
"It is your cup and fairly won, but we appreciate the feeling that
gives it to us," said Baron Jarlsberg, "and we shall keep it in the
regiment as a memento of an English horse beating the best horses in a
Danish cavalry regiment."
Hardy rode to the parsonage, after a very pleasant time, with many
expressions of good feeling from the Danish officers.