"Gilbert Chesterton and his wife were looking for a home in the country," Chesterton's secretary once recalled. "Gilbert had no idea where to look, so they arrived at Paddington one morning and demanded tickets to the destination of the first train that left. The next train went to Slough. Gilbert and Frances got out and strolled through the lanes all day. At night they came to Beaconsfield, stayed at the White Hart, and bought a house there. That was Gilbert for you."