24 MR. HENRY PAD WICK 



prices, some houses perhaps, or a few acres of land of 

 which he wanted to be rid ; and these would form the 

 sole consideration for which the title-deeds of an ances- 

 tral estate would pass from the hands of the luckless 

 borrower into his own. In this, or a similar way, he 

 became possessed of Spye Park, one of the most beauti- 

 ful and romantic estates in Wiltshire ; and of how many 

 more nobody knows, although Mr. Forbes Bentley, the 

 purchaser of Mr. Padwick's stud, and of his house 

 and stables at Findon, could probably enlighten us on 

 the subject. 



I had almost omitted to mention one incident illustra- 

 tive of Padwick's eagerness for a ' deal ' in horseflesh, 

 and its curiously unfortunate result. In the last days of 

 my father's management of Findon, Mr. Padwick came 

 on a Sunday with a party to see his Derby favourite, 

 Belgrade, at exercise. Now, my father of late years, like 

 myself, never exercised his horses on Sunday. But 

 Padwick was urgent. ' It would make,' he said, ' thou- 

 sands of pounds difference to him if his friends saw his 

 horse out and his beautiful action when extended, in- 

 stead of seeing him merely in the stable, picture as he 

 was ' ; or, as the dealers would say, ' his very shadow on 

 the wall was of untold value.' My father would not 

 give way. 



'Belgrade is your horse,' he said, ' as well as the rest, 

 and you can do as you like with them. But if you take 

 them out, Goater may go with you if he likes, but you 

 must excuse me.' 



This was enough. Belgrade and a few more were 

 at once taken to the Downs and cantered, when a scene 

 occurred which Mr. Padwick could never have forgotten 

 to his dying day, nor his astonished friends either. 

 Galloping with an old horse, Belgrade became frightened 



