accepted the adverse verdict which his own nature has given
against him in this matter of hunting, and he gets into his early
tub with acme glow of satisfaction. And afterwards it is nice to
find himself bright with mahogany tops, buff-tinted breeches, and
a pink coat. The ordinary habiliments of an English gentleman are
so sombre that his own eye is gratified, and he feels that he has
placed himself in the vanguard of society by thus shining in his
apparel. And he will ride this year! He is fixed to that purpose.
He will ride straight; and, if possible, he will like it.

But the Ethiop cannot change his skin, nor can any man add a
cubit to his stature. He doesn't like it, and all around him in
the field know how it is with him; he himself knows how it is
with others like himself, and he congregates with his brethren.
The period of his penance has come upon him. He has to pay the
price of those pleasant interviews with his tradesmen. He has to
expiate the false boasts made to his female cousins. That row of
boots cannot be made to shine in his chamber for nothing. The
hounds have found, and the fox is away. Men are fastening on
their flat-topped hats and feeling themselves in their stirrups.
Horses are hot for the run, and the moment for liking it has
come, if only it were possible!

But at moments such as these something has to be done. The man
who doesn't like it, let him dislike it ever so much, Cannot
check his horse and simply ride back to the hunting stables. He
understands that were he to do that, he must throw up his cap at
once and resign. Nor can he trot easily along the roads with the
fat old country gentleman who is out on his rough cob, and who,
looking up to the wind and remembering the position of adjacent