BISHOP WILBERFORCE. 99 



Bishop had come into the neighbourhood to held a 

 series of confirmations in various parishes, and the day 

 after the dinner-party he was to be at Ouainton, 

 about three miles from Hardvvick. Mr. Erie was, as 

 uswTiX, pottering along after the Baron's hounds (a Miss 

 Potter, a very smart horsewoman, being out, who much 

 pleased him), when, feeling somewhat thirsty, and 

 knowing that the Rector of Quainton's wife carried at 

 her girdle a bunch of keys, one of which opened a tap 

 of exceedingly good home-brewed beer, he hung his 

 horse to the gate of the gardens leading up to the 

 Rectory, dismounted, and boldly walked up the path 

 leading to the front door. What was his dismay at 

 meeting (as he described it) a grand funeral procession 

 of clergy, headed by a pair of lawn sleeves — no other than 

 his censor, the Bishop. " What do you think I did ? " 

 said he. " Sprang behind the laurels, and hid myself, 

 like Adam and Eve in Paradise, while the Lord passed 

 by!' His horse had to be removed to allow his lordship 

 to pass into the church which was adjoining, and none 

 of them were aware of the identity of the owner. It 

 need not be said that the worthy Rector trotted home to 

 Hardwick, and there was no vaoxo: potteriitg \.\i2X day. 



On one occasion when the hounds were running pretty 

 hard, the Duke de Grammont, who was a tolerably good 

 man across country, got into the Cublington brook. 

 Baron Lionel de Rothschild was there, and did not 

 attempt to jump it, but was very solicitous to get the 

 Duke out of the water safely. Mr. Erie was there also, 

 and strongly urged the Baron to go in and fetch the 

 Duke out, which the Baron resolutely declined to do, 



