This final appeal had not yet been made; but an interview had taken
place between Lady Roos and her husband, at which, with many passionate
entreaties, she had implored him to shake off the thraldom in which he
had bound himself, and to return to her, when all should be forgiven and
forgotten,--but without effect.
Thus matters stood at present.
As we have seen, though the Countess of Exeter formed one of the chief
ornaments of the hawking party, Lord Roos had not joined it; his absence
being occasioned by a summons from the Conde de Gondomar, with some of
whose political intrigues he was secretly mixed up. Whether the Countess
missed him or not, we pretend not to say. All we are able to declare is,
she was in high spirits, and seemed in no mood to check the advances of
other aspirants to her favour. Her beautiful and expressive features
beamed with constant smiles, and her lustrous black eyes seemed to
create a flame wherever their beams alighted.
But we must quit this enchantress and her spells, and proceed with the
description of the royal party. In the rear of those on horseback walked
the falconers, in liveries of green cloth, with bugles hanging from the
shoulder; each man having a hawk upon his fist, completely 'tired in its
hood, bells, varvels, and jesses. At the heels of the falconers, and
accompanied by a throng of varlets, in russet jerkins, carrying staves,
came two packs of hounds,--one used for what was termed, in the language
of falconry, the Flight at the River,--these were all water-spaniels;
and the other, for the Flight at the Field.
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