144 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN 



to say, after the fact had been settled next morning, my 

 demand in the long-run being a very heavy one. " D — n it ! 

 you're in a deuce of a hurry for the money, Master Berkeley ; I 

 can't give it you just now," was the somewhat testy reply ; and 

 then, having pretended with much seriousness that I wanted 

 the money, I used to take the written bet P. P., and tearing it, 

 put it into the fire before his face. The bet was a certainty, but 

 made under such circumstances, though carefully written out 

 and signed by him, in my opinion no gentleman would have 

 been justified in taking the money ; yet there are many who 

 would have been very angry if any one had said they were not 

 gentlemen, who would have exacted every sixpence ! The 

 scenes which I have described soon became very irksome to me, 

 and I resolved to hunt with the Pytchley no more ; I therefore 

 retired to Harrold Hall, parting very good friends with Mr. 

 Wilkins, and contented myself with such hunting as I could get 

 in the vicinity of my home. 



