, and Phineas found
himself placed in the carriage next to Madame Goesler. It had not
been done of fixed design; but when a party of six are seated in a
carriage, the chances are that one given person will be next to or
opposite to any other given person. Madame Max had remembered this,
and had prepared herself, but Phineas was taken aback when he found
how close was his neighbourhood to the lady. "Get in, Phineas," said
his lordship. Gerard Maule had already seated himself next to Miss
Palliser, and Phineas had no alternative but to take the place next
to Madame Max.

"I didn't know that you rode to hounds?" said Phineas.

"Oh, yes; I have done so for years. When we met it was always in
London, Mr. Finn; and people there never know what other people do.
Have you heard of this terrible affair about the Duke?"

"Oh, dear, yes."

"Poor Duke! He and I have seen a great deal of each other
since,--since the days when you and I used to meet. He knows nothing
about all this, and the worst of it is, he is not in a condition to
be told."

"Lady Glencora could put it all right."

"I'll tell Lady Glencora, of course," said Madame Max. "It seems so
odd in this country that the owner of a property does not seem at all
to have any exclusive right to it. I suppose the Duke could shut up
the wood if he liked."

"But they poisoned the hounds."

"Nobody supposes the Duke did that,--or even the Duke's servants, I
should think. But Lord Chiltern will hear us if we don't take care."

"I've heard every word you've been saying," exclaimed Lord Chiltern.

"Has it been traced to any one?"

"No,--not traced, I suppose."

"What then, Lord Chiltern? You may speak out to me. When I'm wrong I
like to be told so."

"Then you're wrong now," said Lord Chiltern, "if you take the part of
the Duke or of any of his people. He is bound to find foxes for the
Brake hunt. It is almost a part of his title deeds. Instead of doing
so he has had them destroyed."

"It's as bad as voting against the Church establishment," said Madame
Goesler.

There was a very large meet at Copperhouse Cross, and both Madame
Goesler and Phineas Finn found many old acquaintances there. As
Phineas had formerly sat in the House for five years, and had been
in office, and had never made himself objectionable either to his
friends or adversaries, he had been widely known. He now found half
a dozen men who were always members of Parliament,--men who seem,
though comm