n8 MEMORIES OF MEN AND HORSES 



indeed that he did, with Shaddock, who also had a leg. 

 They went up-hill about three furlongs, and the General 

 was so delighted that when we were about driving off 

 to Swindon he rushed into the house, tore down a 

 picture of Galtee More from one of the walls, and 

 carried it off in triumph. I must add that he returned 

 it a day or two later. 



THE SALE OF GALTEE MORE 



It was a weird sort of day, for Mr Gubbins gave a 

 dinner to the three Russians, myself, and poor old 

 Tom Vigors, at the Prince's Restuarant, and it was 

 difficult to restrain Gen. Arapoff within civilised bounds. 

 Thus, he said to me, pointing to a table not far away 

 where a well-known man was dining with a lady : 

 " There is a beautiful lady. May I not go and speak 

 to her?" Fortunately all Russians are good linguists, 

 and I had no difficulty in explaining to him that he 

 must on no account do so, and ultimately diverted 

 him to the Empire, where, I thought, he might speak 

 to ladies without getting into trouble at least not 

 immediately. The subsequent proceedings of that 

 night are unknown to me, so far as the Russians 

 were concerned, but Mr Gubbins, having got what 

 is called the "nasty drop," turned round and said to 

 Vigors he maybe would not sell Galtee More at all. 



I did not stop to argue any such absurd question, 

 but told Vigors to go back to his rooms with him and 

 not to leave him until he had signed a receipt for 

 the money for the gouty old man was going to Ireland 

 first thing next morning. Vigors knocked me up about 

 midnight to say that he could not get the receipt signed, 

 but had left it on Mr Gubbins' mantelpiece with an 



