252 REMINISCENCES OF 



hounds were toiling along after a fox, scream with 

 his high-pitched voice. They would raise their 

 hackles and race each other. Who says, then, that 

 there is no merit in a huntsman's voice ? Wire 

 fences have destroyed the fun of riding across 

 country, and the silent system the cheeriness of 

 running in covert." 



After the lunch Nimrod Long and several 

 huntsmen came to me and said, "We agree with 

 every word you said ". 



For best three couple of dog hounds the president 

 had the privilege of presenting a cup, so I had the 

 pleasure of sending Willoughby de Broke a cheque 

 that he might get what he liked. 



Next day I intended to go to London, and 

 having an hour to spare in Nottingham, I left 

 luggage at station and went to see Bell Taylor. I 

 said, " I don't see quite so well as I did ". " I see 

 what it is; I'll soon put it right for you". I lay 

 down on the sofa and he touched my eye with a 

 needle. He said, "The membrane which surrounds 

 the cataract has thickened ". They call this opera- 

 tion scratching. He gave me a cup of soup, put a 

 rug over me and sent for my luggage, and I fell 

 asleep. 



I went into the same lodging, Miss Sulley's, and 

 telegraphed to Olive to come to me. I could only 

 dictate my telegram, so they made a mess of it, 

 called her Oliver and sent it to some place in 

 Lancashire. Fortunately Nicholas Charlton and his 

 wife came to see me and he put it right for me, and 



