THE MASTER 11 



after they are told, old Wool observes that he docs think the 

 room rather warm. This brilliant discovery being^ universally 

 coniirmed, they forthwith proceed to the other extreme, and 

 opening all the doors and windows, just give old ^olus the full 

 swing of the apartment. 



Something like a liveable atmosphere is at length procured, 

 and the business of the evening is begun by the " sleeping 

 partner" asking some absurd questions about hunting. 



Cottonwool does this from the same mistaken notion that 

 would have induced him to ask none but foxhunters to meet 

 a Master of Foxhounds, viz. an idea that foxhunters can onlj' 

 talk about foxhunting. Mistaken man ! Nine-tenths of them 

 would rather talk about anything else. Annoying, however, as 

 it is to hear a man talking nonsense for our accommodation, 

 calling a pack of hounds a set of dogs, a hound's stern a bushy 

 tail, giving tongue, barking, and so on, a Master must not break 

 out and bid him " hold his tongue for a d — d fool," as a sailor 

 would. No, he must humour him — " sugar his milk," as a 

 huntsman would say ; for the best hounds in the world, with 

 the " best fellow under the sun " at the head of them, are useless 

 without foxes, and fox or no fox is in the caprice of such 

 creatures as Cottonwool. Some Cottonwools are apt to " keep 

 the word of promise to the ear and break it to the hope," giving 

 their keepers orders perhaps not to shoot foxes, but at the same 

 time not to let a vixen lie up on the estate. There are many 

 ways of preserving foxes — at all events of salving a not trouble- 

 somely fastidious conscience. If our " best fellow under the 

 sun " suspects anything like foul play, he will lead old Wool 

 unto the ice, get him to talk big about hunting, the pleasures 

 of the morning, the delights of a find, the certainty of sport, 

 the abundance of foxes — our Master slyly exclaiming to old Pig- 

 skin or anyone furthest off, so that every one must hear, " Ah, 

 Mr. Pigskin, I wish all people were like our worthy host 



