DIPLOMACY 89 



Orme in his box is quite true and is amply conveyed in 

 what I wrote 



" I shan't let anyone, except those who are absolutely 

 necessary, even see him in his box from now up to 

 the Derby." 



It may be that the mere glance at him walking from 

 his exercise to that box (which he did just as I arrived) 

 would not have justified me in writing in any great 

 detail on the horse's condition, or even appearance ; 

 but Mr Porter is well aware of this at any rate that 

 my description of the horse as he appeared on that day 

 was correct, for I took it mainly from himself in all good 

 faith. 



Let the thing pass. Personally I can say that I went 

 down to Kingsclere most unwillingly the only time I 

 have ever done so in that spirit and I trust that on 

 many other visits which I hope to make to that place 

 I shall never again find a subject to deal with similar 

 to this Orme business. I like to see horses and to hear 

 what any good man and true, whether owner or trainer, 

 cares to tell me about them ; and to feel that he and I 

 and my readers are all friends together. What is more, 

 I like to give the exact words of owners and trainers 

 on matters that are not private or controversial, for the 

 public dearly love to read them ; but when I am put 

 on an unexpectedly controversial interview and John 

 Porter says I did not take a single note well, I say the 

 same (it is quite true, I did not, till on the road to the 

 station, and that notebook is at his disposal) ; and, 

 furthermore, I have no intention or inclination to 

 contradict him in any other detail. 



I wrote last week, and I repeat in all seriousness, that 

 he said nothing offensive to a living soul ; but I must 



