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fortably, was not so pleasant as it otherwise might have been. 
The two and a half hours’ drive having been accomplished, the 
Portcullis Inn received the party, glad to leave their cramped 
position, and to recover the use of their limbs amid the shades of 
Badminton. The hour and a half before lunch was spent in a 
visit to the Duke’s far-famed kennels and stables. The hounds, 
244 couple bitches and 18 couple dogs, looked splendid, as the 
huntsman showed them off in the yard. Keen eyes and well 
clean shaped fore limbs seemed quite ready for the next season. 
How the foxes must enjoy being followed by such shapely and 
well-bred aristocratic dogs! And then the little fox terriers, who 
trotted out in their midst, looked also proud of their associates, 
and showed, by scarred nose and other evident signs, that they 
had taken their share of last season's sport. The stables came 
next, and here many a “weight carrier” was seen bearing the 
marks of past work—fired legs, poulticed feet, scarred flank, 
spoke volumes of many a “ going straight” for stone wall, and 
post, and rail, and long gallops over heavy ploughs. It was quite 
a hospital for the lame and wounded. A walk through the 
kitchen garden alone remained to be done before lunch. 
Nothing particular was noticeable here. The vineries seemed 
fruitful, as far as a glimpse through the glass indicated, 
admission not being granted to the interior of the houses—a 
wise regulation, doubtless. After lunch, excellent in every 
respect save one—the absence of “spring violets” in the 
salad (it seems that there had been a failure in this useful and 
much relished edible), the members by previous arrangement 
met at the house at 3 p.m., when they had been given to under- 
stand it was convenient for the housekeeper to show them over 
the rooms unoccupied by the family. For some reason or other 
inexplicable to them, admission was not to be had to any place 
beyond the passage adorned with antlers of deer, &c., and the 
“still” room. Having waited here in vain for nearly 20 minutes, 
they left as wise as they came, so far as the interior of the house: 
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