hyard whilst asleep, gently, and in the same proportion as the snow
had melted away; and what in the dark I had taken to be a stump of a
little tree appearing above the snow, to which I had tied my horse,
proved to have been the cross or weathercock of the steeple!

Without long consideration, I took one of my pistols, shot the bridle in
two, brought down the horse, and proceeded on my journey.

III

For several months (as it was some time before I could obtain a
commission in the army) I was perfectly at liberty to sport away my time
and money in the most gentlemanlike manner. You may easily imagine that
I spent much of both out of town with such gallant fellows as knew how
to make the most of an open forest country. The very recollection of
those amusements gives me fresh spirits, and creates a warm wish for a
repetition of them. One morning I saw, through the windows of my
bedroom, that a large pond not far off was covered with wild ducks. In
an instant I took my gun from the corner, ran downstairs, and out of the
house in such a hurry that I imprudently struck my face against the
doorpost. Fire flew out of my eyes, but it did not prevent my intention;
I soon came within shot, when, leveling my piece, I observed to my
sorrow, that even the flint had sprung from the cock by the violence of
the shock I had just received. There was no time to be lost. I presently
remembered the effect it had on my eyes, therefore opened the pan,
leveled my piece against the wild fowls, and my fist against one of my
eyes. A hearty blow drew sparks again; the shot went off, and I killed
fifty brace of ducks, twenty widgeons, and three couple of teals.

IV

I dare say you have heard of the hunter and sportsman's saint and
protector, Saint Hubert, and of the noble stag which appeared to him in
the forest, with the holy cross between his antlers. I have paid my
homage to that saint every year in good fellowship, and seen this stag a
thousand times either painted in churches, or embroidered in the stars
of his knights; so that, upon the honor and conscience of a good
sportsman, I hardly know whether there may not have been formerly, or
whether there are not such crossed stags even at this present day. But
let me rather tell what I have seen myself. Having one day spent all my
shot, I found myself unexpectedly in presence of a stately stag, looking
at me as unconcernedly as if he had known of my empty pouches. I charged
imme