WILD SPORT IN BRITTANY. 193 



" Aye, I know you will," responded Kergoorlas, earnestly. 



A glimmer of light now crossing the poor wretch's brain, and 

 the familiar sound of his master's voice falling simultaneously on 

 his ear, he instantly recognised it, and, looking up with a piteous 

 expression, begged to know where he was why he was pinioned 

 and wherefore detained in that place ? and "Oh !" he groaned 

 out, " such a horrid dream have I had ! hunted down by a pack 

 of wolves, that have been crunching and gnawing at my skull, and 

 lapping up the very dregs of my brain ! Oh ! such torture ! " 

 He then burst into a flood of tears, which, it was hoped, would 

 have brought him some relief; but in another instant his reason 

 again forsook him, and he shrieked wildly, " They're coming 

 again, I tell you they're on me ! on me ! Fire, fire ! " 



Kergoorlas's nerves, though not easily touched, trembled like 

 reeds in a running river at this awful sight \ and, as he afterwards 

 confessed, if he had not beaten a hasty retreat, the cold chill 

 that seized him must have paralysed the action of his heart, 

 and brought him senseless to the floor so he rushed from the 

 cell. He had intended, after visiting the gendarmerie, to look 

 up the several quarters at which his hounds were billeted, as he 

 was anxious to ascertain what hounds they were that were now 

 missing whether the puppies had gone or the chiefs of the chase, 

 or in what proportion both had been abducted ; but he was too 

 much affected by the appalling vision he had just witnessed to 

 think of anything besides. Bidding the officials a hasty adieu, he 

 returned directly to the hotel, and casting himself at full length 

 on his narrow pallet, he was speedily enjoying, by the suspension 

 of his mental and bodily powers, the blissful rest that sleep alone 

 can give. 



There is a mode of taxing dogs in France by which, if lost, 

 their recovery is greatly facilitated by the aid of the government. 

 When the tax is paid for a dog, every mark, like the " signes par- 

 ticuliers " in a passport, by which the animal can be identified, 



