84 THE IMAGE OF WAR 



pass half an hour by watching what we had seen a 

 hundred times before. I can see it all now, — the 

 almost nude figure, with his cobra half erect and 

 moving in unison with his movements, the crowd of 



white-robed servants at a respectful distance, the 



Hark ! the bell-like tones of the hound break the day- 

 dream off short, and I turn cautiously half round so 

 as better to command the passes. There are two of 

 these, a fact which stern experience taught me, for 

 ignorance of the fact lost me a buck here not long 

 since. One runs just above me, the other diagonally 

 below, but both are within easy range. The bitch 

 found not far away, but no doubt some waft of the 

 treacherous south wind has betrayed me, for the 

 sounds descend the hill, and then cease. The deer 

 has utilised the brook to kill the scent. Dinah can 

 be trusted to make her own casts, though, and in a 

 very short time she is merrily tonguing up the 

 opposite slope, and is soon above the covert fringing 

 the stream. It is open enough up there under the 

 great pines ; I ought to get a view. Carrying my 

 eyes off to the left, I do. A furlong ahead of the 

 hound a roe is racing along a wood path, and as I 

 think and hope, a buck. At the distance I can see 

 no horns ; it would be too cruel if he had cast them 

 already. He turns downwards and the covert swallows 

 him. High time, too, for the bitch was gaining ; and 

 she too makes the downward turn without hesitation. 

 When she reaches the brook her voice ceases ; the deer 

 has " beaten the water " again. Perhaps he is coming 

 up ! I strain my eyes in vain ; and this time the check 

 is longer than the first one. At last the music breaks 

 out again, behind me this time, in the side valley. 

 I have barely turned in that direction before I hear a 



