e constitutions of horses; you seem to be able to
smoke and take 'snifters,' as you drolly call them, at all hours, but I
really cannot do it, you know. Do you find things to suit you here, Mr.
Windsor? I could have given you many finer houses; to tell you the
truth, I was rather surprised when you chose Ripon House out of my list.
There is so little furniture in it that my men have not been able to put
in all the necessary articles yet, but it will be wholly in order in a
few hours."

"Yes; your men seem very busy," replied Mr. Windsor. "The upper floors
are all ready, but I have been driven into this room on the ground floor
this morning."

"Oh! dear me, what a pity, sir," said Mr. Jawkins, looking around the
room. "It is very bare and uncomfortable; but you will not know the room
when my fellows are through with it. You will have one of the finest
collections of books here in all England in a few hours. I have
purchased the Marquis of Queensberry's collection, and ordered them sent
here. Nothing gives so good an effect of color in a room as a library of
handsome books, you know. They have turned the _Times_ on, I see," he
remarked, pointing to the ticker. "I saw in it this morning that Richard
Lincoln and his daughter were to be your guests here. Your friend, sir,
I suppose? He certainly is not down in my list; great man, sir, but not
one of us."

"Mr. Lincoln is one of the men whom I most highly respect in the world,"
answered Mr. Windsor, curtly. "When do you expect the people in your
list to arrive?"

"Oh, they will come at all hours," answered Jawkins. "I must send a lot
of traps to the station to meet them. Have you been out to the stables,
sir? I have sent you one of the finest studs in all England. Do you
hunt, Mr. Windsor?"

"Never," answered Mr. Windsor.

"Since the farmers have taken to shooting the foxes," continued Mr.
Jawkins, "the noble old sport has gone all to pieces, even here; but you
drive four-in-hand, I hope. I have ordered a beautiful new break for
your use. But you will see, sir, all I have done for you. Now, if you
are at leisure for the list of the guests whom I have been able to
engage. When you have gone over it with me, Mr. Windsor, I think that
you will admit that it is a charming country-house party to have got
together on such short notice. First, you see, we have the Duke and
Duchess of Bayswater. I have engaged them for the first three days of
your stay here to give _eclat_ to