254 THE WALKS ABROAD OF 



domain, as he pompously called it, to his friends. 

 With legs covered by long gaiters of yellow leather, 

 he led the way and directed the little expedition. 



They advanced slowly, the path being bordered 

 at the sides by the deep ruts left by the waggons 

 of the woodmen, filled in places by muddy water 

 which had stagnated there since the last rains, while 

 between the ruts the horses had deeply imprinted 

 their footmarks in the soft earth. 



The light was becoming more slanting, and across 

 the leaves of the hazels scattered golden spots on the 

 foliage, and striped rays of glittering beauty on the 

 sombre turf that bordered the path. 



At the first turning in the road a bird flew away 

 with heavy flight only two paces from the tourists, 

 and at the same moment Rene* cried out : 



" Gentlemen, I announce the decease of a field- 

 mouse." 



I do not know whether the reader may share my 

 impression, but in the country I never see without 

 a certain feeling of melancholy the body of a tiny 

 rodent. In vain I reason with myself, recalling that 

 during its little life it was an injurious beast,- and that 

 the carcase of a foe smells always sweet, if we may 

 believe a Roman emperor of gloomy reputation (and 

 in the matters of foes and carcases this emperor 

 might well have been an authority). But fruitlessly ! 

 The shrivelled legs, with their extremities pale and 



