een.

Madame Max came a couple of days before Phineas, and was taken out
hunting on the morning after her arrival. She was a lady who could
ride to hounds,--and who, indeed, could do nearly anything to which
she set her mind. She was dark, thin, healthy, good-looking, clever,
ambitious, rich, unsatisfied, perhaps unscrupulous,--but not without
a conscience. As has been told in a former portion of this chronicle,
she could always seem to be happy with her companion of the day, and
yet there was ever present a gnawing desire to do something more and
something better than she had as yet achieved. Of course, as he took
her to the meet, Lord Chiltern told her his grievance respecting
Trumpeton Wood. "But, my dear Lord Chiltern, you must not abuse the
Duke of Omnium to me."

"Why not to you?"

"He and I are sworn friends."

"He's a hundred years old."

"And why shouldn't I have a friend a hundred years old? And as
for Mr. Palliser, he knows no more of your foxes than I know of
his taxes. Why don't you write to Lady Glencora? She understands
everything."

"Is she a friend of yours, too?"

"My particular friend. She and I, you know, look after the poor dear
Duke between us."

"I can understand why she should sacrifice herself."

"But not why I do. I can't explain it myself; but so it has come
to pass, and I must not hear the Duke abused. May I write to Lady
Glencora about it?"

"Certainly,--if you please; but not as giving her any message from
me. Her uncle's property is mismanaged most damnably. If you choose
to tell her that I say so you can. I'm not going to ask anything as a
favour. I never do ask favours. But the Duke or Planty Palliser among
them should do one of two things. They should either stand by the
hunting, or they should let it alone;--and they should say what they
mean. I like to know my friends, and I like to know my enemies."

"I am sure the Duke is not your enemy, Lord Chiltern."

"These Pallisers have always been running with the hare and hunting
with the hounds. They are great aristocrats, and yet are always
going in for the people. I'm told that Planty Pall calls fox-hunting
barbarous. Why doesn't he say so out loud, and stub up Trumpeton Wood
and grow corn?"

"Perhaps he will when Trumpeton Wood belongs to him."

"I should like that much better than poisoning hounds and trapping
foxes." When they got to the meet, conclaves of men might be seen
gathered together here and there, and in e