Chiltern was again in a towering passion, as the earths, he said,
had been purposely left open. But on this matter the men who had
overtaken our friends were both of opinion that Chiltern was wrong.
He had allowed it to be understood that he would not draw Trumpeton
Wood, and he had therefore no right to expect that the earths should
be stopped. But there were and had been various opinions on this
difficult point, as the laws of hunting are complex, recondite,
numerous, traditional, and not always perfectly understood. Perhaps
the day may arrive in which they shall be codified under the care of
some great and laborious master of hounds.
"And they did nothing more?" asked Phineas.
"Yes;--they chopped another fox before they left the place,--so that
in point of fact they have drawn Trumpeton. But they didn't mean it."
When Madame Max Goesler and Phineas had reached Harrington Hall
they were able to give their own story of the day's sport to Lady
Chiltern, as the remainder of the party had not as yet returned.
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