PLANNING A HOUSE 45 



" Why don't you holloa them on to his line ? I can't 

 get out." 



" Because I know the consequences." 



*' Hang it ! holloa, I say, and ride, for my horse is 

 blown, and for my life I could not get another holloa 

 out ; go on with the hounds, for I am dead beat, and as 

 hoarse as a crow, from hunting in these woods all day." 



I did go on with the hounds, until they made a detour 

 into the big woods again, where I took the first oppor- 

 tunity (knowing my friend would be waiting dinner for 

 me) of giving the Squire the slip, leaving him alone in 

 his glory. My heart smote me on riding away from a 

 brother master in distress ; but time was pressing, and 

 even a fox-hunter should never keep ladies waiting. 



Mr. Smith was blessed with the means of conducting 

 his hunting establishment on the most enlarged and 

 magnificent scale ; but as in the hunting field, so in all 

 the minor concerns of life, the master mind was ever 

 conspicuous ; whether in building a house or building a 

 kennel, laying out gardens or erecting conservatories, 

 the plans generally originated with himself. He not 

 only possessed the money power of doing all these things, 

 but the power of mind and intellect was not wanting 

 to bring them to the most perfect conclusion. In aU his 

 undertakings, of whatever description, difiiculties were 

 no sooner started than overcome ; in fact, the word 

 impossibility would appear scarcely to have been known 

 in his vocabulary. 



I remember being in company with him and an architect 

 when he was planning his new mansion at Tedworth, 

 to make room for Avhich, the old house was to be pulled 

 down, with the exception of one favoured apartment, 

 the dining-room, which, from old associations, he was 



