"
To be brief: we found excellent accommodation, and spent the night
pleasantly, free from the sin of single blessedness. Many a choice
anecdote did the Paphian divinities furnish us with of the _gay
well-known_ among the Chelts; stories that will be told again and again
over the friendly bottle, but must not be recorded ~268~~here. Whether
Transit, waking early from his slumbers, was paying his devotions to
Venus or the water-bottle, I know not; but I was awoke by him about
eight in the morning, and heard the loud echo of the huntsman's hallo in
my ear, summoning me to rise and away, for the sons of Nimrod had beset
the house; information which I found, upon looking through the window,
was alarmingly true, but which did not appear either to surprise or
affright the fair occupants of the cottages, who observed, it was only
some of the "Berkeley Hunt going out," (See Plate), who, if they did
not find any where else, generally came looking after a brush in that
neighbourhood.
[Illustration: page268]
"Then the best thing we can do," said Transit, "is to brush off, before
they brush up stairs and discover a couple of poachers among their
game." This, however, the ladies would by no means admit, and the
huntsmen quickly riding away, we took our chocolate with the lady abbess
and her nuns, made all matters perfectly pleasant, saluted the fair at
parting, and bade adieu to the Oakland Cottages.
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