nd his remorse so great that, in their pity, they had resolved
to spare him; and then, on the spot, entered into a solemn compact
that no one should be told. Encouraged by the forbearing tenderness,
the unfortunate one ventured to return to the house of his friend,
the owner of the wood, hoping that, in spite of the sacrilege
committed, he might be able to face a world that would be ignorant
of his crime. As the vulpicide, on the afternoon of the day of the
deed, went along the corridor to his room, one maid-servant whispered
to another, and the poor victim of an imperfect sight heard the
words--"That's he as shot the fox!" The gentleman did not appear at
dinner, nor was he ever again seen in those parts.

Mr. Fothergill had become angry. Lord Chiltern, as we know, had been
very angry. And even the Duke was angry. The Duke was angry because
Lord Chiltern had been violent;--and Lord Chiltern had been violent
because Mr. Fothergill's conduct had been, to his thinking, not only
sacrilegious, but one continued course of wilful sacrilege. It may be
said of Lord Chiltern that in his eagerness as a master of hounds he
had almost abandoned his love of riding. To kill a certain number of
foxes in the year, after the legitimate fashion, had become to him
the one great study of life;--and he did it with an energy equal to
that which the Duke devoted to decimal coinage. His huntsman was
always well mounted, with two horses; but Lord Chiltern would give
up his own to the man and take charge of a weary animal as a common
groom when he found that he might thus further the object of the
day's sport. He worked as men work only at pleasure. He never missed
a day, even when cub-hunting required that he should leave his bed at
3 A.M. He was constant at his kennel. He was always thinking about
it. He devoted his life to the Brake Hounds. And it was too much for
him that such a one as Mr. Fothergill should be allowed to wire foxes
in Trumpeton Wood! The Duke's property, indeed! Surely all that was
understood in England by this time. Now he had consented to come
to Matching, bringing his wife with him, in order that the matter
might be settled. There had been a threat that he would give up the
country, in which case it was declared that it would be impossible
to carry on the Brake Hunt in a manner satisfactory to masters,
subscribers, owners of coverts, or farmers, unless a different order
of things should be made to prevail in regard to Trum