Page:Arminell, a social romance (1896).djvu/244

 BAMBOOZLED.

was that day engaged in distributing prizes at a ploughing match, about fifteen miles away from Orleigh.

"My dear," said he to his wife before he started, "for goodness' sake come with me into the avenue, and give me the heads of what I am to say."

Report had it that his lordship got all his speeches from his wife, and report was not far wrong in so saying.

"I'll run up to Eggins," he said, "and get him to give me some wrinkles about ploughing. I know nothing concerning it."

Thus primed, partly by one of his farmers and partly by his wife, his lordship started for the ploughing match; and on reaching the ground inspected the furrows with his glass to his eye, and repeated some of the scraps of information he had gathered from Eggins.

After that came the dinner, and after the dinner the prize distribution, and a speech from Lord Lamerton.

His lordship stood up, and coughed. He was not a fluent speaker, nor a ready speaker; indeed he could not speak at all unless he had been given time and opportunity to get primed. But he had a retentive memory, and when allowance was made for hesitation, and repetition, and occasional halts, his speeches were admitted to be not so