A LOST FRIEND 91 



Russian gentlemen, I naturally concluded that this nice mare 

 had become similarly affected. As she was seven years old 

 and had shown no musical tendencies up to the time I parted 

 with her, it was, I felt, most unjust to put the responsibility 

 of her supposed malady on my shoulders. I was very much 

 annoyed at being treated in this manner, especially as the 

 mare had fulfilled every requirement demanded of her. To 

 anticipate events, I may mention that on my next visit to 

 Russia, I found that my whilom friend had told everyone that 

 I had treated him in a shameful way about this mare, who in 

 reality was the handsomest and best mannered blood hack it 

 was possible to find. A year afterwards, on my fourth visit 

 to Russia, I met Sorel, who informed me that the mare was 

 all right in her wind, and that consequently Colonel Kasnakof 

 was all right as far as I was concerned, so I ought to call on 

 him, which of course I did not do. It appears that the mare 

 had caught a cold, the temporary effects of which were 

 regarded by those about her, as permanent unsoundness. 

 Even if she had turned a roarer, I was in no way responsible 

 for her keeping healthy for the remainder of her life, especially 

 as she was of an age at which no horse goes wrong in its 

 wind except from some exciting cause, such as inflammation 

 of the lungs and catarrh, which are frequent maladies in 

 hot, badly - ventilated stables like those of the Chevaliers 

 Gardes. 



