220 STAG-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 



relations, and the despair of their admirers. These things are 

 pitiful, but inevitable, and the Master of the Buckhounds is 

 often the unconscious executioner of all kinds of agreeable 

 plans and stimulating hopes. Of course he is abused : if he 

 happens to be a Liberal any rod is good enough for his back ; 

 if he happens to be a Tory, he at once becomes a noble of 

 the type which justified the French Eevolution. But for the 

 most part he is forgiven freely. Besides, the ' all against all ' 

 character of- the scramble comes to his rescue. Lucretia's 

 many friends have got a little wearied with her account of 

 her preparations and Paris tryings-on. She cannot, like 

 Constance, ' instruct her sorrows to be proud,' and they 

 naturally cannot help being amused at her failure to get her 

 ticket. There is a general sense of relief that the tiresome 

 Gracchi have been refused. 



In my time one incident occurred of a probably unique 

 kind, which may here be recorded. I received a message 

 which demanded very instant attention. It appeared that 

 an individual with a kodak was loose in the enclosure. 

 He had commenced operations by several snaps at the Koyal 

 party, and when last seen was actively engaged upon a group 

 of duchesses. Needless to say that he was described to me 

 as a complete radical in appearance. Hoping for my own 

 sake, as well as for that of the Newcastle programme, that 

 he might not turn out to be an Irish member, I portrayed 

 him to my green-plush-clad myrmidons, who, assisted by 

 some good-natured volunteers, at once set off in pursuit. 

 Owing to the congested state of the enclosure, progress was 

 difficult, and the chase for some little time eluded them like 

 a will-o'-the-wisp. He had been seen here, suspected there, 

 noticed flagrante delicto somewhere else. At last, however, 

 he was delivered into our hands, and haled into my presence. 

 It ended rather tamely, for he turned out to be a distinguished 

 visitor to our shores, accredited by the embassy of one of the 



