| 1 | Author: | Burnett, Frances Hodgson | Requires cookie* | | Title: | A Lady of Quality | | | Published: | 1994 | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | | | Description: | ON a wintry morning at the close of 1685, the sun shining
faint and red through a light fog, there was a great noise of
baying dogs, loud voices, and trampling of horses in the
courtyard at Wildairs Hall. Sir Jeoffry, being about to go forth
a-hunting, and being a man with a choleric temper and big loud
voice, and given to oaths and noise even when in good humor, his
riding forth with his friends at any time was attended with
boisterous commotion. This morning it was more so than usual,
for he had guests with him who had come to his house the day
before and had supped late and drunk deeply, whereby the day
found them, some with headaches, some with a nausea at their
stomachs, and some only in an evil humor which made them curse at
their horses when they were restless, and break into loud surly
laughs when a coarse
joke was made. There were many such
jokes, Sir Jeoffry and his boon companions being renowned
throughout the county for the freedom of their conversation as
well as for the scandal of their pastimes, and this day it was
well indeed, as their loud-voiced, oath-besprinkled jests rang
out on the cold air, that there were no ladies about to ride
forth with them. | | Similar Items: | Find |
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