2 00 SKETCHES IN THE HUNTING FIELD. 



gate in front, thought they wanted him to jump it, I 

 suppose ; at any rate he charged it before the fellow 

 could get it open. He knocked himself about a good 

 deal, but not seriously ; of course the trap was spoilt ; 

 Manners landed on his head, so he was all right, and 

 the coachman broke something — arm, I think. When I 

 sent for Bullfinch, I returned Achates, offering to buy 

 him ; and as Manners did not know what to do with 

 him, he was giad to sell. You know the fellow, don't 

 you ?" 



"Yes; St. Asaph had him up to dine once or twice 

 when he came to the county, but he didn't answer. 

 When poor Glendare had to leave England we hoped 

 the Duke would buy the place, but he didn't, and ]\Ian- 

 ners paid the price without flinching. It was useful to 

 him just then, because he had a contract to supply the 

 Prussian army with cigars, and he could grow the 

 material on the estate cheaper than he could buy it ; 

 cabbage I thought, but they say it's lettuce — however, 

 that does not matter. St. Asaph thought he was a 

 harmless sort of person and asked him ; but he wasn't 

 nice, and one morning got too friendly, don't you know. 

 The hounds were meeting at the castle, and there were 

 a good many fellows at breakfast, and on the sideboard 

 was a big joint of beef amongst other things — a baron, 

 don't you call it r — which seemed to strike Manners a 

 good deal : ' This is what I like, my lord ! the good old 

 English style!' he said, after being rather offensive all 

 breakfast; and St. Asaph had been so very courteous 



