H.I.M, The Empress of Austria. 277 



the next, I told the Empress I was puzzled. 

 ^' Why are you ? " she asked. 



" I hardly know what your Majesty could bring 

 her for," I replied. 



'' Well, that is very strange ; the Emperor 

 asked me to include her, she is a great favourite.'' 



" Perhaps His Majesty thought that a sea 

 vovage and change of climate would do her 

 good," I ventured to suggest ; '' but she is not a 

 hunter." 



" I quite agree with you," the Empress answered. 



Four horses only in the stud were at all suitable 

 for carrying Her Majesty in the hunting field. 

 Buyers were sent off to Lincolnshire and elsewhere 

 to procure hunters. 



During her visit the Empress had some very 

 good days. The best certainly was from Brackley 

 Gorse, fifty minutes over a very fine country. 

 Her Majesty was well mounted and rode splendidly, 

 although she was at a disadvantage at the finish 

 from having taken a wrong turn. The Honour- 

 able Mrs. Grosvenor, piloted by her husband, was 

 in a very enviable position when the hounds went 

 into Whistley Wood, thus maintaining her reputa- 

 tion for riding well to hounds. 



At the end of the visit the Empress and the 

 ex-Queen met the Bicester Hounds at Thorpe 



