His Grace — page 45: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

HIS GRACE. 39 gions during that period of jubilee, he was taking part in every species of obtainable amusement. Under the circumstances, he could not, without obvious hypocrisy, have pretended to lament his deceased uncle, and no- body, I believe, has ever thought of accusing Hurst- bourne of hypocrisy. When the London season was at an end, he betook himself, as was to be expected, to Goodwood and Cowes, and I presumed that he would proceed from thence. to Scotland. I was, therefore, both pleased and surprised when, towards the middle of August, I received a notification from him to the effect that he was coming home, accompanied by his mother, and that he hoped the spare bedrooms were all right, be- cause he had asked a lot of people down to stay. The spare bedrooms were all right, and indeed everything in the house was all right, the late owner having, it appeared, been in the habit of allowing carte blanche to the housekeeper in the matter of necessary renewals of furniture, and having also had the decency to let the furniture go with the title ; so that the only thing I had to think about was the organizing of a suitable re- ception for the new Duke. Aided by the steward, the bailiff, and others, I was able to arrange this to my satisfaction. The tenantry turned out on horseback, triumphal arches were erected, a holiday was accorded to the school-children, and shortly before the appointed hour I arrived at the Lavenham Road station, with an illuminated address tucked under my arm, which Mr. Higgins, the senior tenant, who was to present it, had entrusted to me, explaining that when he mounted his young mare he preferred to have the free use of both hands. I was Gomichoo m