THE FIGHT RENEWED 111 



clashing of his teeth when they fail to get 

 home. The struggle is too furious to last : 

 before the lapse of half an hour the life-long 

 enemies lie exhausted on the ground, face to 

 face with each other, their laboured breathing 

 audible to the hare. 



The fox when he recovers has no more 

 wish to renew the fight than he had to begin 

 it, but the lurcher's one thought is to destroy 

 the hateful wild thing before her, or die in the 

 attempt. Again they fight ; only for a short 

 while now ; limb and wind are unequal to 

 further effort ; their exhaustion is complete. 

 At last the lurcher recognises that to kill the 

 fox is a task beyond her powers. After a 

 time she staggers to her feet and looks into 

 the eyes of Grey Fox, who has also risen. 

 The meaning of the looks they exchange no 

 pen can tell, unless it is that the curled 

 lips and bare teeth bespeak undying hate. 

 Then the lurcher withdraws, leaving the fox to 

 himself. Reynard's ears are pricked, he is 

 listening to the retreating footfall, and when 

 the sound dies away he drags himself into the 

 bushes. 



There, screened from the light of the sun 

 and the eyes of all observers, he sat and licked 

 his wounds, interrupting the process only to rise 



