WILD SPORT IN BRITTANY. 261 



anchylose, as the doctors would term it, from the bite of a steel 

 gin, long since inflicted, and probably by that very gin consigned 

 by St. Prix to the bottom of the Locrist river. From the pendant, 

 long-drawn teats of the animal, it was inferred by Louis Trefarreg 

 and other gnostics that she had produced at least four or five 

 litters of cubs in her time, and had thus done good service to the 

 lupine race, but incalculable damage to the community at large. 



To have been quartered at Carhaix, even for one day, with 

 nothing to do, would have been an infliction too terrible to 

 bear j and as the prospect of St. Prix's departure was imminent, 

 Keryfan and I made up our minds to accept Shafto's kind 

 invitation and pay him a visit at the Hermitage, where, he said, 

 if the Louvetier thought wolves enough had been killed for the 

 season, we might still find woodcock and wild-fowl to our hearts' 

 content. However, as we still hoped to enjoy the good company 

 of the Louvetier for a day or two longer, it was resolved, through 

 Marseillier's influence, to request the ouvriers to gather together 

 their trencher-pack, and give us a week-day hunt, instead of 

 waiting for Sunday, the usual day devoted by them to that 

 recreation. 



A carpenter, who kept a couple of small, smart harriers, 

 appeared to be the chief controller of this motley crew ; and he, 

 on being promised a day's wages, readily consented to make 

 every arrangement for showing us a grand chasse after the manner 

 of the townsfolk, on the following day. I have already described 

 the hubbub occasioned by the mustering of this party QJI a 

 Sabbath morn ; but hitherto it had been quiet as a Quakers' 

 meeting, compared with the discordant din that roused every 

 soul in the town hours before daybreak on that especial occasion. 

 So well had Marseillier managed the matter he himself being 

 a prominent member of the confederation that every ouvrier 

 who possessed a musket, or kept a cur, no matter how useless 

 or how ignoble, made a point of joining the chasse ', the object 



