Shortly  after  the  interview  opened,  chancing  to  look
round,  I  beheld  two  motionless  round  white  mounds,
hedgehog  in  attitude,  super-hedgehog  in  sentiment,
buried  in  profoundest  slumber.  Round  the  mounds,
with  faint  yelps,  in  brief  rushes,  panting  with  adora-
tion, with  long  pink  tongue  flapping,  and  white  teeth
flashing,  fore-legs  wide  apart  and  flung  flat  on  the
grass,  went  the  parson's  retriever.  With  sealed  eyes
the  ladies  slept  on.  Yet,  when  Martin  and  the  parson
and  I  had  strayed  on  into  the  flower  garden,  I  cannot
conceal  the  fact  that  both  the  Clara  Vere  de  Veres
abandoned  themselves  to  a  Maenad  activity  that  took
the  amazed  and  deeply  gratified  retriever  as  its  focal
point,  and  might  have  given  effective  hints  to
any  impersonator  of  Salome  dancing  before  King
Herod.
I  have  ever  been  faithful  to  two  breeds,  foxhounds,
and  fox  terriers,  and,  as  I  look  back  over  a  long  series.
