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BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
A DEFENSIVE DIAMOND
TREDDLEFORD sat in an easeful arm…chair in front of a
slumberous fire； with a volume of verse in his hand and the comfortable
consciousness that outside the club windows the rain was dripping and
pattering with persistent purpose。 A chill； wet October afternoon was
merging into a bleak； wet October evening； and the club smoking…room
seemed warmer and cosier by contrast。 It was an afternoon on which to
be wafted away from one's climatic surroundings； and 〃The Golden
journey to Samarkand〃 promised to bear Treddleford well and bravely
into other lands and under other skies。 He had already migrated from
London the rain…swept to Bagdad the Beautiful； and stood by the Sun
Gate 〃in the olden time〃 when an icy breath of imminent annoyance
seemed to creep between the book and himself。 Amblecope； the man
with the restless； prominent eyes and the mouth ready mobilised for
conversational openings； had planted himself in a neighbouring arm…
chair。 For a twelvemonth and some odd weeks Treddleford had
skilfully avoided making the acquaintance of his voluble fellow…
clubman； he had marvellously escaped from the infliction of his
relentless record of tedious personal achievements； or alleged
achievements； on golf links； turf； and gaming table； by flood and field
and covert…side。 Now his season of immunity was coming to an end。
There was no escape； in another moment he would be numbered among
those who knew Amblecope to speak to … or rather； to suffer being
spoken to。
The intruder was armed with a copy of COUNTRY LIFE； not for
purposes of reading； but as an aid to conversational ice…breaking。
〃Rather a good portrait of Throstlewing；〃 he remarked explosively；
turning his large challenging eyes on Treddleford； 〃somehow it reminds
me very much of Yellowstep； who was supposed to be such a good thing
for the Grand Prix in 1903。 Curious race that was； I suppose I've
seen every race for the Grand Prix for the last … 〃
〃Be kind enough never to mention the Grand Prix in my hearing；〃
said Treddleford desperately； 〃it awakens acutely distressing memories。
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BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
I can't explain why without going into a long and complicated story。〃
〃Oh； certainly； certainly；〃 said Amblecope hastily； long and
complicated stories that were not told by himself were abominable in his
eyes。 He turned the pages of COUNTRY LIFE and became spuriously
interested in the picture of a Mongolian pheasant。
〃Not a bad representation of the Mongolian variety；〃 he exclaimed；
holding it up for his neighbour's inspection。 〃They do very well in
some covers。 Take some stopping too； once they're fairly on the wing。
I suppose the biggest bag I ever made in two successive days … 〃
〃My aunt； who owns the greater part of Lincolnshire；〃 broke in
Treddleford； with dramatic abruptness； 〃possesses perhaps the most
remarkable record in the way of a pheasant bag that has ever been
achieved。 She is seventy…five and can't hit a thing； but she always
goes out with the guns。 When I say she can't hit a thing； I don't mean
to say that she doesn't occasionally endanger the lives of her fellow…guns；
because that wouldn't be true。 In fact； the chief Government Whip
won't allow Ministerial M。P。's to go out with her； 'We don't want to incur
by…elections needlessly；' he quite reasonably observed。 Well； the other
day she winged a pheasant； and brought it to earth with a feather or two
knocked out of it； it was a runner； and my aunt saw herself in danger of
being done out of about the only bird she'd hit during the present reign。
Of course she wasn't going to stand that； she followed it through
bracken and brushwood； and when it took to the open country and
started across a ploughed field she jumped on to the shooting pony and
went after it。 The chase was a long one； and when my aunt at last ran
the bird to a standstill she was nearer home than she was to the
shooting party； she had left that some five miles behind her。〃
〃Rather a long run for a wounded pheasant；〃 snapped Amblecope。
〃The story rests on my aunt's authority；〃 said Treddleford coldly；
〃and she is local vice…president of the Young Women's Christian
Association。 She trotted three miles or so to her home； and it was not
till the middle of the afternoon that it was discovered that the lunch for
the entire shooting party was in a pannier attached to the pony's saddle。
Anyway； she got her bird。〃
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〃Some birds； of course； take a lot of killing；〃 said Amblecope； 〃so do
some fish。 I remember once I was fishing in the Exe； lovely trout
stream； lots of fish； though they don't run to any great size … 〃
〃One of them did；〃 announced Treddleford； with emphasis。 〃My
uncle； the Bishop of Southmolton； came across a giant trout in a pool
just off the main stream of the Exe near Ugworthy； he tried it with every
kind of fly and worm every day for three weeks without an atom of
success； and then Fate intervened on his behalf。 There was a low stone
bridge just over this pool； and on the last day of his fishing holiday a
motor van ran violently into the parapet and turned completely over； no
one was hurt； but part of the parapet was knocked away； and the entire
load that the van was carrying was pitched over and fell a little way into
the pool。 In a couple of minutes the giant trout was flapping and
twisting on bare mud at the bottom of a waterless pool； and my uncle
was able to walk down to him and fold him to his breast。 The van…
load consisted of blotting…paper； and every drop of water in that pool had
been sucked up into the mass of spilt cargo。〃
There was silence for nearly half a minute in the smoking…room； and
Treddleford began to let his mind steal back towards the golden road that
led to Samarkand。 Amblecope； however； rallied； and remarked in a
rather tired and dispirited voice：
〃Talking of motor accidents； the narrowest squeak I ever had was the
other day； motoring with old Tommy Yarby in North Wales。 Awfully
good sort； old Yarby； thorough good sportsman； and the best … 〃
〃It was in North Wales；〃 said Treddleford； 〃that my sister met with
her sensational carriage accident last year。 She was on her way to a
garden…party at Lady Nineveh's； about the only garden…party that ever
comes to pass in those parts in the course of the year； and therefore a
thing that she would have been very sorry to miss。 She was driving a
young horse that she'd only bought a week or two previously； warranted
to be perfectly steady with motor traffic； bicycles； and other common
objects of the roadside。 The animal lived up to its reputation； and
passed the most explosive of motor… bikes with an indifference that almost
amounted to apathy。 However； I suppose we all draw the line
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