the illustrious prince- 第41部分

〃Have　you　ever　ridden　in　a　steeplechase？〃　Somerfield　asked　him。

〃Never　in　my　life；〃　the　Prince　declared。　〃Frankly；　I　do　not　know　what　it　is。〃

〃There　are　jumps；　for　one　thing；〃　Somerfield　continued；〃pretty　stiff　affairs；　too。〃

〃If　Lady　Grace's　mare　is　a　hunter；〃　the　Prince　remarked；　〃she　can　probably　jump　them。〃

〃The　question　is　whether〃　Somerfield　began；　and　stopped　short。

The　Prince　looked　up。

〃Yes？〃　he　asked。

Somerfield　hesitated　to　complete　his　sentence；　and　the　Duke　once　more　intervened。

〃What　Somerfield　was　thinking；　my　dear　Prince；〃　he　said；　〃was　that　a　steeplechase　course；　as　they　ride　in　this　country；　needs　some　knowing。　You　have　never　been　on　my　daughter's　mare　before。〃

The　Prince　smiled。

〃So　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　of　no　account。　There　was　a　day　at　MukdenI　do　not　like　to　talk　of　it；　but　it　comes　back　to　mewhen　I　rode　twelve　different　horses　in　twenty…four　hours；　but　perhaps；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Lady　Grace；　〃you　would　not　care　to　trust　your　horse　with　one　who　is　a　stranger　to　yourwhat　is　it　you　call　them？steeplechases。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　Prince；〃　Lady　Grace　exclaimed；　〃you　shall　ride　her；　and　I　am　going　to　back　you　for　all　I　am　worth。〃

Bransome；　who　was　also　in　riding　clothes；　although　he　was　not　taking　part　in　the　steeplechases　himself；　glanced　at　the　clock。

〃You　are　running　it　rather　fine；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　scarcely　have　time　to　hack　round　the　course。〃

〃Some　one　must　explain　it　to　me；〃　the　Prince　said。　〃I　need　only　to　be　told　where　to　go。　If　there　is　no　time　for　that；　I　must　stay　with　the　other　horses　until　the　finish。　There　is　a　flat　finish　perhaps？〃

〃About　three　hundred　yards；〃　the　Duke　answered。

〃Have　you　any　riding　clothes？〃　Penelope　whispered　to　him。

〃Without　a　doubt；〃　he　answered。　〃I　will　go　and　change　in　a　few　minutes。〃

〃We　start　in　half　an　hour；〃　Somerfield　remarked。　〃Even　that　allows　us　none　too　much　time。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　the　Duke　suggested　diffidently；　〃you　would　like　to　ride　over；　Prince？　It　is　a　good　eleven　miles；　and　you　would　have　a　chance　of　getting　into　your　stride。〃

The　Prince　shook　his　head。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　like　to　motor　with　you　others；　if　I　may。〃

〃Just　as　you　like；　of　course；〃　the　Duke　agreed。　〃Grace's　mare　is　over　there　now。　We　shall　be　able　to　have　a　look　at　her　before　the　race；　at　any　rate。〃

The　opinions；　after　the　Prince　had　left　the　table；　were　a　little　divided　as　to　what　was　likely　to　happen。

〃For　a　man　who　has　never　even　hunted　and　knows　nothing　whatever　about　the　country；〃　Somerfield　declared；　〃to　attempt　to　ride　in　a　steeplechase　of　this　sort　is　sheer　folly。　If　you　take　my　advice；　Lady　Grace；　you　will　get　out　of　it。　Lady　Barbarity　is　far　too　good　a　mare　to　have　her　knees　broken。〃

〃I　am　perfectly　content　to　take　my　risks；〃　Lady　Grace　answered　confidently。　〃If　the　Prince　had　never　ridden　before　in　his　life；　I　would　trust　him。〃

Somerfield　turned　away；　frowning。

〃What　do　you　think　about　it；　Penelope？〃　he　asked。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　answered；　〃that　I　agree　with　Grace。〃

Two　punctures　and　a　leaking　valve　delayed　them　over　an　hour　on　the　road。　When　they　reached　their　destination；　the　first　race　was　already　over。

〃It's　shocking　bad　luck；〃　the　Duke　declared；　〃but　there's　no　earthly　chance　of　your　seeing　the　course；　Prince。　Come　on　the　top　of　the　stand　with　me；　and　bring　your　glasses。　I　think　I　can　point　out　the　way　for　you。〃

〃That　will　do　excellently；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃There　is　no　need　to　go　and　look　at　every　jump。　Show　me　where　we　start　and　as　near　as　possible　the　way　we　have　to　go；　and　tell　me　where　we　finish。〃

The　course　was　a　natural　one；　and　the　stand　itself　on　a　hill。　The　greater　part　of　it　was　clearly　visible　from　where　they　stood。　The　Duke　pointed　out　the　water　jump　with　some　trepidation；　but　the　Prince's　glasses　rested　on　it　only　for　a　moment。　He　pointed　to　a　clump　of　trees。

〃Which　side　there？〃　he　asked。

〃To　the　left；〃　the　Duke　answered。　Remember　to　keep　inside　the　red　flags。〃

The　Prince　nodded。

〃Where　do　we　finish？〃　he　asked。

The　Duke　showed　him。

〃That　is　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　need　not　look　any　more。〃

In　the　paddock　some　of　the　horses　were　being　led　around。　The　Prince　noted　them　approvingly。

〃Very　nice　horses；〃　he　said；〃light；　but　very　nice。　That　one　I　like　best；〃　he　added；　pointing　to　a　dark　bay　mare；　who　was　already　giving　her　boy　some　trouble。

〃That's　lucky；〃　the　Duke　answered；　〃for　she's　your　mount。　I　must　go　and　talk　to　the　clerk　about　your　entry。　It　is　a　little　late；　but　I　think　that　it　will　be　all　right。〃

The　Prince　glanced　over　Lady　Grace's　mare　and　turned　aside　to　join　Penelope　and　Somerfield。

〃I　like　the　look　of　my　horse；　Sir　Charles；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　that　I　shall　beat　you　today。〃

〃We　both　start　at　five　to　one；〃　Somerfield　answered。　〃Shall　we　have　a　bet？〃

〃With　pleasure；〃　the　Prince　agreed。　〃Will　you　name　the　amount？　I　do　not　know　what　is　usual。〃

〃Anything　you　like；〃　Somerfield　answered；　〃from　ten　pounds　to　a　hundred。〃

〃One　hundred；we　will　say　one　hundred；　then；〃　the　Prince　declared。　〃My　mount　against　yours。　So！〃

He　threw　off　his　overcoat；　and　they　saw　for　the　first　time　that　he　was　dressed　in　English　riding　clothes　of　dark　material；　but　absolutely　correct　cut。

〃I　must　go　now　and　be　introduced　to　the　Clerk　of　the　Course；〃　he　said。　〃Ah；　here　is　Lady　Grace！〃　he　added。　〃Come　with　me；　Lady　Grace。　Your　father　is　seeing　about　my　entry。　I　think　that　in　five　minutes　the　bell　will　ring。〃

Everything　was　in　order；　and　a　few　minutes　later　the　Prince　came　out。　The　mare　was　stripped；　and　the　whole　party　gathered　round　to　watch　him　mount。　He　swung　himself　into　the　saddle　without　hesitation。　The　mare　suddenly　reared。　Prince　Maiyo　only　smiled；　and　with　loose　reins　stooped　and　patted　her　neck。　He　seemed　to　whisper　something　in　her　ear；　and　she　stood　for　a　moment　afterwards　quite　still。　Lady　Grace　drew　a　quick　breath。

〃What　did　you　say　to　her；　Prince？〃　she　asked。　〃She　is　behaving　beautifully　except　for　that　first　start。〃

〃Your　mare　understands　Japanese；　Lady　Grace；〃　the　Prince　answered；　smiling。　〃She　and　I　are　going　to　be　great　friends。　Show　me　the　way；　please。　Ah；　I　follow　that　other　horse！　I　see。　Lady　Grace；　au　revoir。　You　shall　have　your　cup。〃

〃Gad；　I　believe　she　will！〃　the　Duke　exclaimed。　〃Look　at　the　fellow　ride。　His　body　is　like　whalebone。〃

The　parade　in　front　of　the　stand　was　a　short　one。　　The　Prince　rode　by　in　the　merest　canter。　The　mare　made　one　wild　plunge　which　would　have　unseated　any　ordinary　person；　but　her　rider　never　even　moved　in　his　saddle。

〃I　never　saw　a　fellow　sit　so　close　in　my　life；〃　the　Duke　declared。　〃Do　you　know；　Grace；　I　believe；　I　really　believe　he'll　ride　her！〃

Lady　Grace　laughed　scornfully。

〃I　have　a　year's　allowance　on　already；〃　she　said；　〃so　you　had　better　pray　that　he　does。　I　think　it　is　very　absurd　of　you　all；〃　she　added；　〃because　the　Prince　cares　nothing　for　games；　to　conclude　that　he　is　any　the　less　likely　to　be　able　to　do　the　things　that　a　man　should　do。　He　perhaps　cannot　ride　about　on　a　trained　pony　with　a　long　stick　and　knock　a　small　ball　between　two　posts；　but　I　think　that　if　he　had　to　ride　for　his　own　life　or　the　life　of　others　he　would　show　you　all　something。〃

〃They're　off！〃　the　Duke　exclaimed。

They　watched　the　first　jump　breathlessly。　The　Prince；　riding　a　little　apart；　simply　ignored　the　hurdle；　and　the　mare　took　it　in　her　stride。　They　turned　the　corner　and　faced　an　awkward　post　and　rails。　The　leading　horse　took　off　too　late　and　fell。　The　Prince；　who　was　close　behind；　steered　his　mare　on　one　side　like　lightning。　She　jumped　like　a　cat；the　Prince　never　moved　in　his　seat。

〃He　rides　like　an　Italian；〃　Bransome　declared；　shutting　up　his　glasses。　〃There's　never　a　thing　in　this　race　to　touch　him。　I　am　going　to　see　if　I　can　get　any　money　on。〃

Another　set　of　hurdles　and　then　the　field　were　out　of　sight。　Soon　they　were　visible　again　in　the　valley。　The　Prince　was　riding　second　now。　Somerfield　was　leading；　and　there　were　only　three　other　horses　left。　They　cleared　a　hedge　and　two　ditches。　At　the　second　one　Somerfield's　horse　stumbled；　and　there　was　a　suppressed　cry。　He　righted　himself　almost　at　once；　however；　and　came　on。　Then　they　reached　the　water　jump。　There　was　a　sudden　silence　on　the　stand　and　the　hillside。　Somerfield　took　off　first；　the　Prince　lying　well　away　from　him。　Both　cleared　it；　but　whereas　Lady　Grace's　mare　jumped　wide　and　clear；　and　her　rider　never　even　faltered　in　his　saddle；　Somerfield　lost　all　his　lead　and　only　just　kept　his　seat。　They　were　on　the　homeward　way　now；　with　only　one　more　jump；　a　double　set　of　hurdles。　Suddenly；　in　the　flat；　the　Prince　seemed　to　stagger　in　his　saddle。　Lady　Grace　cried　out。

〃He's　over；　by　Jove！〃　the　Duke　exclaimed。　〃No；　he's　righted　himself！〃

The　Prince　had　lost　ground；　but　he　came　on　toward　the　last　jump；　gaining　with　every　stride。　Somerfield　was　already　riding　his　mount　for　all　he　was　worth；　but　the　Prince　as　yet　had　not　touched　his　whip。　They　drew　closer　and　closer　to　the　jump。　Once　more　the　silence　came。　Then　there　was　a　little　cry；both　were　over。　They　were　turning　the　corner　coming　into　the　straight。　Somerfield　was　leaning　forward　now；　using　his　whip　freely；　but　it　was　clear　that　his　big　chestnut　was　beaten。　The　Prince；　with　merely　a　touch　of　the　whip　and　riding　absolutely　upright；　passed　him　with　ease；　and　rode　in　a　winner　by　a　dozen　lengths。　As　he　cantered　by　the　stand；　they　all　saw　the　cause　of　his　momentary　stagger。　One　stirrup　had　gone；　and　he　was　riding　with　his　leg　quite　stiff。

〃You've　won　your　money；　Grace；〃　the　Duke　declared；　shutting　up　his　glass。　〃A　finely　ridden　race；　too。　Did　you　see　he'd　lost　his　stirrup？　He　must　have　taken　the　last　jump　without　it。　I'll　go　and　fetch　him　up。〃

The　Duke　hurried　down。　The　Prince　was　already　in　the　weighing　room　smoking　a　cigarette。

〃It　is　all　right；〃　he　said　smiling。　〃They　have　passed　me。　I　have　won。　I　hope　that　Lady　Grace　will　be　pleased。〃

〃She　is　delighted！〃　the　Duke　exclaimed；　shaking　him　by　the　hand。　〃We　all　are。　What　happened　to　your　stirrup？〃

〃You　must　ask　your　groom；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃The　leather　snapped　right　in　the　flat；　but　it　made　no　difference。　We　have　to　ride　like　that　half　the　time。　It　is　quite　pleasant　exercise；〃　he　continued；　〃but　I　am　v