A JUMP OVER A TABLE. 175 



of fame, wished to essay the feat, but I thought there had 

 been enough done to try the temper of the noble Httle 

 horse, and a veto was put on any more displays of circus 

 riding. Then the difficulty arose — How are we to get 

 the horse to descend the stairs ? From the Rochester 

 Room to the top of the staircase there was a long gallery 

 with floor of polished oak, and this gallery had to be 

 traversed before the descent commenced ; a narrow 

 carpet ran the entire length, and along this the horse 

 went quietly enough, but on coming to the top of the 

 stairs he stoutly refused to make the descent. Nothing we 

 could do would induce him to put his foot downwards on 

 to the first step, and although all the time he was as quiet 

 as a lamb, no one could suggest a means of overcoming 

 his scruples at taking so unusual a course. In this 

 dilemma a learned Q.C., who was staying in the house, 

 who had started as candidate to represent the ancient 

 borough of Aylesbury in Parliament, and, with him, his 

 elder brother, a worthy baronet and M.P. for a county 

 borough, hearing the noise on the stairs came from their 

 sitting-room, and at once suggested an easy solution of 

 the difficulty, viz. to tie a wet towel over the horse's 

 head, blindfold him, take him to the end of the long 

 corridor, and then to lead him steadily along without 

 stopping a moment, but to keep him going without any 

 hesitation. This advice was no sooner given than it 

 was put into practice, and the horse coming along 

 freely enough, he began to go down the stairs, but get- 

 ting frightened he stumbled and fell on his knees, but 

 did not cease to scramble on. The two men who held 

 him tightly by the head evidently reassured the well- 



