Echoes of the Hunting Horn 



hear it. It was most remarkable in one way and, still 

 and all, most inoffensive in another. Of course, one 

 must take into abject consideration the sensibility of 

 circumstances and admit that I was munificently gifted 

 above the average." 



" Undoubtedly ! " I answered courageously, knowing 

 in my heart and soul that the only gift he inherited 

 from his ancestors was a family dictionary. His for- 

 bears would probably wriggle in their graves if they 

 learnt that the contents of their beloved dictionary had 

 run amok and were at the moment gambolling uncon- 

 trollably in the brain of one of their male descendants. 



The Knowledgeable Man gazed intently at the road 

 ahead. I wondered what would be his next subject, 

 for he seemed capable of tackling anything from atom- 

 splitting to lion-taming, but I was disappointed, very 

 disappointed. He got off at the next boreen. 



As I watched his broad shoulders disappearing down 

 an aisle of hawthorn blossoms I felt a pang of regret. 

 Really, I did, for I felt that a rare character was going 

 out of my life, and I would have given a lot to have 

 heard him discuss the subject of horses. 



Then as I drove away I brightened up a little . . . 

 a character like this would be easily traceable in any 

 locality. It would be worth meeting him again. 



132 



