IN BOOKS AND REAL LIFE 217 



there was nothing for it, in his own interest, but 

 to sentence him to the chain for Hfe. In his 

 exuberant vitality, in his passion for a good gallop, 

 he felt it keenly ; he could not understand being 

 put under restraint, and at first his reproachful 

 looks and lamentable whining cut me to the heart. 

 The pity was that he was supremely intelligent, 

 one word of explanation would have put matters 

 straight. He only needed to have the error of his 

 ways pointed out to him and he would have be- 

 come a model character. As it was, with his 

 sound philosophy he became a model of resigna- 

 tion ; but the point is that he lived for very many 

 years in perfect health, and passed away peacefully 

 with no other ailment than age. 



With all his life and fire, with his sweet temper 

 he took his durance cheerfully, and was an excep- 

 tion to the rule. But some breeds of big dogs 

 don't seem to mind the chain ; the bulldogs and 

 the mastiffs have been yard dogs or attached 

 under the waggons from time immemorial. They 

 were only taken off chain, from time to time, to 

 bait a bull or draw a badger. Consequently, im- 

 memorial restraint has aggravated their natural 

 savagery. They were the sort of dogs who were let 

 loose of a night in the yards of the old posting- 

 houses, where chaises with valuable luggage were 

 left otherwise unguarded ; or they were turned 

 out on patrol round some lonely manor-house, 

 when tramps or gipsies or housebreakers were 

 about. In evil neighbourhoods these watchdogs 



