It was to her finding herself in the vicinity of a group of three or
four of these animals, that Lucy thought proper to impute those signs of
fear which had arisen in her countenance for a different reason. For she
had been familiarised with the appearance of the wil cattle during her
walks in the chase; and it was not then, as it may be now, a necessary
part of a young lady's demeanour to indulge in causeless tremors of the
nerves. On the present occasion, however, she speedily found cause for
real terror.

Lucy had scarcely replied to her father in the words we have mentioned,
and he was just about to rebuke her supposed timidity, when a bull,
stimulated either by the scarlet colour of Miss Ashton's mantle, or by
one of those fits of capricious ferocity to which their dispositions are
liable, detached himself suddenly from the group which was feeding at
the upper extremity of a grassy glade, that seemed to lose itself among
the crossing and entangled boughs. The animal approached the intruders
on his pasture ground, at first slowly, pawing the ground with his hoof,
bellowing from time to time, and tearing up the sand with his horns, as
if to lash himself up to rage and violence.

The Lord Keeper, who observed the animal's demeanour, was aware that he
was about to become mischievous, and, drawing his daughter's arm under
his own, began to walk fast along the avenue, in hopes to get out of his
sight and his reach. This was the most injudicious course he could have
adopted, for, encouraged by the appearance of flight, the bull began
to pursue them at full speed. Assailed by a danger so imminent, firmer
courage than that of the Lord Keeper might have given way. But paternal
tenderness, "love strong as death," sustained him. He continued to
support and drag onward his daughter, until her fears altogether
depriving her of the power of flight, she sunk down by his side; and
when he could no longer assist her to escape, he turned round and placed
himself betwixt her and the raging animal, which, advancing in full
career, its brutal fury enhanced by the rapidity of the pursuit, was now
within a few yards of them. The Lord Keeper had no weapons; his age
and gravity dispensed even with the usual appendage of a walking
sword--could such appendage have availed him anything.