BLACK AND WHITE 



193 



rage on a hunting morning — an old gentleman in a pea- 

 jacket drew a confused picture of what things used to be 

 before Lord John Kussell's Reform Bill, in a manner which 

 would have delighted Lord Marney. Those, it appeared, 

 were the days to go hunting in. ' Things,' as he rather 

 vaguely kept declaring, ' were something like.' What with 

 the plush fiurniture, the oleographs and Japanese grasses 

 of the parlour, and the damaged reminiscences of the pea- 

 jacket, the icy fingers of depression began clawing at me 

 again. No time was to be lost in mounting. There was 

 nothing for it but the elaborate freedom of Agitator's 

 action. Agitator in the meanwhile had created a diversion, 

 though hardly in our favour, by planting one neatly on the 

 potboy's posterior, whom, failing an ostler, Samways had 

 commandeered from the security of the bottle and jug depart- 

 ment, and who was now being lectured for his folly in getting 

 near a long-tailed blood horse. ' You'll know better another 

 time,' Samways was sternly saying as we came into the 

 yard, an assurance which did not seem altogether to comfort 

 the potboy. Five shillings, however, did wonders for the 

 injured part and off we set for the meet. But the mist 

 grew worse every yard of our way. I divined wire every- 

 where, which is much worse than actually seeing it. The 

 kindest of welcomes awaited us, and a most hospitable host 

 had all sorts of good things to eat and drink laid out for 

 our benefit, but there could be only one opinion about the 

 fog. As to the wire, the hunt-servants who had come a 

 different way, and one or two unenthusiastic local sports- 

 men, confirmed the opinion I had already formed. Even 

 Comins, the keenest and hardest of stag-hunters, thought it 

 would not do. For once I was glad that the weather made 

 it impossible to hunt, and glad to order the hounds home. 



So much for a dies atra. And now let me refresh myself 

 v/ith the recollections of a much more amusing day, when 



o 



