Right Royal [Paperback]

John Masefield (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2008

The Course of the English Chasers Cup is twice round Compton Course about four and a half miles over grass and ploughland with twenty-nine jumps. Horses go round left-handed, counter-clockwise, from Starting Post, taking Turks Grave fence as the first jump. The first time round they do not enter the Straight, but keep to the left of the central enclosure and cross the Water. The second time round they enter tlie Stra. ight, and finish just beyond the Grand Stand. Tlie circuit is two and a quarter rniles. RIGHT ROYAL AN hour before the race they talked togethe, A pair of lovers, in the mild March weather, Charles Cothill and the golden lady, Em. Beautiful Englands hands had fashioned them. He was from Sleins, that manor up the Lithe. Riding the Downs had made his body blithe Stalwart he was, and springy, hardened, swift, Able for perfect speed with perfect thrift, Man to the core yet moving lke alad. , Dark honest eyes with merry gaze he had, A fine firm mouth, and wind-tan on his skin. He was to ride, and ready to begin. He was to ride Right Royal, his own horse, In the English Chasers Cup on Compton Course. 3 RIGHT ROYAL IJnder the pale coat reaching to his spurs One saw his colours, which were also hers, Narrow alternate bars of blue and white, Blue as the speedwells eye and silver bright. What with hard work and waiting for the race, Trouble and strain were marked upon his face Men would have said that something worried him. She was a golden lady, dainty, trim, As like the love time as laburnum blossom. Mirth, truth and goodness harboured in her bosom. Pure colour and pure contour and pure grace Made the sweet marvel of her singing face She was the very may-time that comes in When hawthorns bud and nightingales begin. To see her tread the red-tippt daisies white In the green fields all golden with delight W t S o b elieve Queen Venus come again, She was as dear as sunshine after rain Such loveliness this golden lady had All lovely things and pure things made her glad, But most she loved the things her lover loved, The windy Downlands where the kestrels roved, The sea of grasses that the wind runs over Where blundering beetles drunken from the clover Stumble about the startled passer-by. There on the great grass underneath the sky She loved to ride with him for hours on hours, Smelling the seasoned grass and those small flowers, Milkworts and thymes, that grow upon the Downs. There from a chalk edge they would see the towns Smoke above trees, by day, or spires of churches Gleaming with swinging wind-cocks on their . perches. Or windowsflashing in the light, or trains Burrowing below white smoke across the plains. By night, the darkness of the valley set With scattered lights to where the ridges met And three great glares making the heaven dun, Oxford and Wallingford and Abingdon. 6 6 Dear, in an hour, said Charles, the race begins. Before I start I must confess my sins. 5 RIGHT ROYAL For I have sinned, and now it troubles me. I saw that you were sad, said Emily. Before I speak, said Charles, I must pre,-mise. You were not here to help me to be wise, . And som, hing happened, difficult to tell e n if I sinned, I feel I acted well, Prom inspiration, mad as that may . seem. Just at the grey of dawn I had a dream. It was the strangest dream I ever had. It was the dream that drove me to be mad...

Product Details

• Paperback: 124 pages
• Publisher: Read Books (January 31, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1408640724
• ISBN-13: 978-1408640722
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,138,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)