In addition to the estate there was a
lordship or reputed lordship to shoot over, a river to fish in, a pack of
fox-hounds to hunt with, and the advertisements gave a sly hint as to the
possibility of the property influencing the representation of the
neighbouring borough of Swillingford, if not of returning the member
itself.
This was Hanby House, and though the description undoubtedly partook of
George's usual high-flown _couleur-de-rose_ style, the manor being only a
manor provided the owner sacrificed his interest in Swillingford by driving
off its poachers, and the river being only a river when the tiny Swill was
swollen into one, still Hanby House was a very nice attractive sort of
place, and seen in the rich foliage of its summer dress, with all its roses
and flowering shrubs in full blow, the description was not so wide of the
mark as Robins's descriptions usually were. Puff bought it, and became what
he called 'a man of p-r-o-r-perty.' To be sure, after he got possession he
found that it was only an acre here and there that would grow forty bushels
of wheat after turnips, and that there was a good deal more to do at the
house than he expected, the furniture of the late occupants having hidden
many defects, added to which they had walked off with almost everything
they could wrench down, under the name of fixtures; indeed, there was not a
peg to hang up his hat when he entered.
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