94 BFJTANNY AND THE CHASE. 



ordered him off, but, the man being slow to move, I put 

 my hand on his shoulder to hasten him, when, to mj sur- 

 prise, he immediately made at me. He was very powerful • 

 and much above my match, but I managed to defend 

 myself until my man came up. He then threw himself 

 down, and as we proceeded to turn him out, resisted and 

 fought as I never saw any one fight before, for he was 

 like a porcupine, and wounded his foes on all sides. 

 However, though with great difficulty, we succeeded in 

 tackling him, and dragging him legs and arms to the gates, 

 which having opened, we threw him some three steps 

 down into the high road ; rough physic, I admit, but I 

 conceive quite necessary, as he would not go by fair 

 means. As soon as he regained his feet he rushed again 

 to the gate, and tried to break it down, but not succeeding 

 ran to another, where we again confronted him ; my man, 

 a Breton, behaving with great pluck, and being much 

 bruised and cut. I left him on guard and went to dinner, 

 and found, on going out to inquire, that my worthy 

 friend was still in the road, vowing he would kill the 

 Englishman whenever he could find him. He did not 

 however dare to enter again, and I went about other 

 matters until evening, when I took a walk on the road, 

 but he was then invisible. Just after my return, sitting 

 in my room, I heard a crash, and lo I my opponent had 

 smashed the gate with a kick, and was rushing up the 

 garden like a madman. There was only one thing to do, 

 and I unwillingly did it, namely, take a pistol from 

 my case, with the determination to shoot him dead if 

 he entered the room, as there was only myself and a 



