"There  ai-e  four  bedrooms,  and  a  dressing-room  which
liolds  a  Ijed,  and  a  kitchen,  back-kitchen,  scullery,
pantry,  and  other  conveniences.  To  the  back  is  a
nice  little  outlet  of  a  quarter  of  an  acre,  laid  o\it  in  the
style  of  the  Jardin  dos  Plantes  at  Paris;  and  there  is  a
splendid  old  patriarch  of  a  noacock,  tliat  stnitH  about
the  walls,  sim-ads  his  tail,  and  screams  dfliglitl'ully.  in
short,  it  ai)i)e;irH  t<)  me  to  have  been  built  with  :ni  eye  to
the  rfsidcnce  of  a  master  of  hounds.
"  And  this  loads  me  t«  tell  you  that  the  Nabob  has
l>een  <<>  tho  konnel,  attended  by  two  Nfgroos.  (mo  of
whom  held  a  large  groon  i);irasol  over  his  lioad  t()_ protect
him  from  the  sun,  while  the  other  cMnitMl  a  chinchilla,
fur-lined,  blue  silk  cloak  to  guard  him  from  the  cold.
I  hear  he  talked  vei-y  big  about  tiger-hunting  and
elephant-riding,  and  said  the  waters  here  had  done  his


88  HANDLKY   CROSS

liver  a  vast  deal  of  j^ood.  I  may  observe  that  it  is
possible  an  attempt  may  be  made  by  a  few  troublesome
fellows  to  place  him  at  the  head  of  tlie  establishment,
particularly  if  you  any  longer  delay  appearing  among
us.  My  advice  to  you  therefore  is,  to  place  yourself,
yoiu-  amiable  lady,  and  accomplished  niece,  with  your
servants,  horses,  &c.,  on  the  mid-day  Lily-white-sand
train,  on  Friday  next,  and  make  a  public  entry  and
procession  from  the  Datton  Station  into  Handley  Cross,
showering  half-pence  among  the  little  boys  as  you  go.
I  will  take  upon  myself  to  muster  and  marshal  such  a
procession  as  will  have  an  imposing  appearance,  and  the
Nabol)  wiU  be  a  very  bold  man  if  he  makes  any  attempt
upon  the  hounds  after  that.
