Some travel no doubt he would like, but not
too much; certainly no more than his wife would cheerfully
accept as a minimum. He desired rather to rest among his
own possessions. To be lord of the manor at Pellesley Court,
with his own retinue of servants and dependents and tenants,
his own thousands of rich acres, his own splendid old timber,
his own fat stock and fleet horses and abundant covers
and prize kennels--THAT was what most truly appealed
to him. It was not at all certain that he would hunt;
break-neck adventure in the saddle scarcely attracted him.
But there was no reason in the world why he should not breed
racing horses, and create for himself a distinguished and
even lofty position on the Turf. He had never cared much
about races or racing folk himself, but when the Prince
and Lord Rosebery and people like that went in for winning
the Derby, there clearly must be something fascinating in it.
Then Parliament, of course; he did not waver at all from
his old if vague conception of a seat in Parliament as a
natural part of the outfit of a powerful country magnate.
And in a hundred other ways men should think of him
as powerful, and look up to him. He would go to church
every Sunday, and sit in the big Squire's pew.
He would be a magistrate as a matter of course,
and he would make himself felt on the County Council.
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