Lord Popplecourt went back into town in the Duke’s
carriage, but was unable to say a word about politics.
His mind was altogether filled with the wonderful
words that had been spoken to him. Could it be
that Lady Mary had fallen violently in love with him?
He would not at once give himself up to the pleasing
idea, having so thoroughly grounded himself in the
belief that female nets were to be avoided. But
when he got home he did think favourably of it.
The daughter of a Duke,—and such a Duke!
So lovely a girl, and with such gifts! And then
a fortune which would make a material addition to
his own large property!
Tally-ho Lodge
We all know that very clever distich concerning the
great fleas and the little fleas which tell us that
no animal is too humble to have its parasite.
Even Major Tifto had his inferior friend. This
was a certain Captain Green,—for the friend
also affected military honours. Tifto, of whose
antecedents no one was supposed to know anything.
It was presumed of him that he lived by betting, and
it was boasted by those who wished to defend his character
that when he lost he paid his money like a gentleman.
Tifto during the last year or two had been anxious
to support Captain Green, and had always made use
of this argument; ’Where the D——
he gets his money I don’t know;—but
when he loses it, there it is.’
Major Tifto had a little ‘box’ of his
own in the neighbourhood of Egham, at which he had
a set of stables a little bigger than his house, and
a set of kennels a little bigger than his stables.
It was here he kept his horses and hounds, and himself
too when business connected with his sporting life
did not take him to town. It was now the middle
of August and he had come to Tally-ho Lodge, there
to look after his establishments, to make arrangements
for cub-hunting, and to prepare for the autumn racing
campaign. On this occasion Captain Green was enjoying
his hospitality and assisting him by sage counsels.
Behind the little box was a little garden,—a
garden that was very little; but, still, thus close
to the parlour window, there was room for a small
table to be put on the grass-plat, and for a couple
of armchairs. Here the Major and the Captain
were seated about eight o’clock one evening,
with convivial good things within their reach.
The good things were gin-and-water and pipes.
The two gentlemen had not dressed strictly for dinner.
They had spent a great part of the day handling the
hounds and the horses, dressing wounds, curing sores,
and ministering to canine ailments, and had been detained
over their work too long to think of their toilet.
As it was they had an eye to business. The stables
at one corner and the kennels at the other were close
to the little garden, and the doings of a man and
a boy who were still at their work could be directed
from the armchairs on which the two sportsmen were
sitting.
