WILD SPORT IN BRITTANY. 79 



" Then, Monsieur de St. Prix," said the peasant respectfully, 

 "will you do us the favour to name an early day for bringing 

 your hounds to Kilvern ? The moch meur (the big pigs) have made 

 that cover their head-quarters ; and if you hunt and kill a few of 

 them, the lesser swine will not be so bold in their depredations." 



" What say you, Kergoorlas," inquired St. Prix, " will Monday 

 next suit you to bring your hounds to join us at Gourin ? We 

 could then give them a week in those covers, and probably supply 

 our friends " (bowing to the deputation) " with plenty of good 

 chesnut-fed bacon for the rest of the winter." 



I could see the hitherto solemn faces of the peasants sparkle at 

 the thought of not only killing but eating the plunderers that had 

 grown fat on the produce of their small farms ; the idea of retalia- 

 tion to the extent suggested by St. Prix had probably already 

 occurred to them, and even now seemed to be sharpening their 

 appetites in anticipation of the coming day. 



" Certainly," said M. Kergoorlas ; " Monday will suit me 

 exactly ; " and if your hounds meet at Laz on that day, my pack 

 shall draw Coet-Koenig on Tuesday, and take the alternate days 

 with yours to the end of the week." 



And thus it was agreed, to the great satisfaction of the 

 peasants, to make Gourin the head-quarters of the hunt, and to 

 give the boars of Kilvern a rattling such as they had not met 

 with for many a long year. 



The deputation then withdrew into an adjoining salon, where, 

 by St. Prix's order, they were regaled with food and wine to their 

 hearts' content, Marseillier himself presiding, and by his pleasant 

 manner and marvellous tales of the chase establishing himself for 

 ever as the first of hosts in the peasants' eye. If all the boars' 

 heads promised to him that morning found their way to the Hotel 

 la Tour d'Auvergne, I can only say his guests would have no 

 cause to grumble at the lack of charcuterie in that hostelry for 

 many a day to come. 



