Here and There 219 



prevail on the horse to charge a second time ; so 

 that the King, dismounting, advanced on foot against 

 the furious animal, holding naked in his hand one of 

 those short, sharp, straight, and pointed swords which 

 huntsmen used for such encounters. The boar 

 instantly quitted the dogs to rush on his human 

 enemy, while the King, taking his station, and 

 posting himself firmly, presented the sword, with 

 the purpose of aiming it at the boar's throat, or 

 rather chest, within the collar-bone ; in which case, 

 the weight of the beast, and the impetuosity of its 

 career, would have served to accelerate its own de- 

 struction. But, owing to the wetness of the ground, 

 the King's foot slipped, just as this delicate and 

 perilous manoeuvre ought to have been accomplished, 

 so that the point of the sword encountering the 

 cuirass of bristles on the outside of the crea- 

 ture's shoulder, glanced off without making any 

 impression, and Louis fell flat on the ground. This 

 was so far fortunate for the monarch, because the 

 animal, owing to the King's fall, missed his blow in 

 his turn, and in passing only rent with his tusk the 

 King's short hunting-cloak, instead of ripping up his 

 thigh. But when, after running a little ahead in 

 the fury of his course, the boar turned to repeat his 

 attack on the King at the moment when he was 

 rising, the life of Louis was in imminent danger. 

 At this critical moment, Quentin Durward, who had 

 been thrown out in the chase by the slowness of his 

 horse, but who, nevertheless, had luckily distinguished 

 and followed the blast of the King's horn, rode up 

 and transfixed the animal with his spear. 



The King, who had by this time recovered his 

 feet, came in turn to Durward's assistance, and cut 

 the animal's throat with his sword. Before speaking 

 a word to Quentin, he measured the huge creature 



