of silences, divulged 

 secret. 



Madam was to accompany her 

 husband, and in all Nystuen, a hamlet 

 of three houses, there was not a 

 side-saddle! 



The next morning two buff- 

 coloured stocky animals with 

 roached manes and flowing tails 

 were waiting saddled in the stable 

 yard. Madam had declared she 

 cared not what the animal wore so 

 long as it would carry her. The 

 statement had evidently brought 

 welcome release from responsibility. 

 Gravely, Updal the guide, who was 

 to walk, presented a hand for assis- 

 tance in mounting. An English 

 jockey-pad about the size of a post- 

 age stamp, unfortunately not as ad- 

 hesive, was perched on a broad flat 

 back, two diminutive stirrups hung 

 from it and the girth was a piece of 

 hemp rope. A snaffle-bit was held 

 in the animal's mouth by a piece of 

 twine and sheer equine amiability. 

 Without comment on either side, I 

 was assisted on to this circus-backed 

 steed thus panoplied for unpathed 

 wastes and gathering up the twine, 



