44 WOLF-HUNTING. 



CHAPTER V. 



THE principal towns of Lower Brittany, such as St. Brieux, Morlaix, 

 Brest, and L'Orient, are in no respect deficient in the accommoda- 

 tion required for the comfort of travellers sojourning in that country; 

 but, as a general rule, the smaller towns, especially those out of the 

 beaten track, are sorry quarters even for men able and willing to 

 undergo considerable discomfort in quest of sport ; for ladies they 

 are simply unbearable. At Carhaix, as I have said before, there 

 is, fortunately, a very fair provincial hotel, La Tour d'Auvergne, 

 the host of which, M. Marseillier, having once been chef -de-cut si fie 

 on board King Louis-Philippe's yacht, has seen more of the world 

 than hosts in general; and, still proud of his white cap, doing 

 duty at his charcoal stove, chatting, singing, frying omelettes, and 

 concocting the most delicate and savoury dishes, he does all a 

 man can do to make his guests comfortable, and his house popular. 

 Madame, too, is a rare manager, looking sharply after the house- 

 maids, famous for her snow-white linen, and particular, as regards 

 the sleeping apartments, as any woman in Brittany. 



But Marseillier's qualifications as a cook and a landlord are 

 not his only good points ; he is also devoted to the chase ; and 

 if, perchance, a foreigner, wishing to see a little wild sport in 

 that country, take up his quarters at the Hotel la Tour d'Auvergne 

 (and nowhere within reach of the Black Mountains could he be 

 better located), Marseillier, whether he had a houseful of guests or 



