14 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



country-house whose garden was reflected in the lake, 

 she looked up wistfully at the closed windows ; and I 

 learned afterwards that the Jager of the family, who 

 had now left their villa for the town, was her lover, 

 and that he had not yet written to her since they 

 parted. " He has not forgotten me, I know," said 

 Marie, with her usual pretty smile; "I shall soon 

 get a letter, I am sure/' And I am sure I hope with 

 all my heart she may, for it were a pity so young a 

 face should wear a look of sorrow. And were no 

 letter to arrive, how oppressively sad to have that 

 deserted house constantly before her as she rowed 

 daily across the lake ! 



But I have forgotten the mountains and the au- 

 tumnal morning, with talking of the pretty maiden of 

 the ferry ; however, she and her skiff, with its train of 

 dancing light behind it, belong to the scene, and form 

 a pleasing and even necessary feature in the landscape. 

 As if all was to be festive on this exquisite October 

 morning, here comes a gay procession. What a noise 

 of deep, hollow-sounding bells is heard coming up the 

 road that winds along the lake ! There in front a 

 stately cow advances, her horns adorned with a large 

 wreath of beautiful flowers, roses, dahlias, erica, and 

 evergreens. Above her head towers a pile of fes- 

 toons and garlands ; and within an arch of flowers 

 and foliage is a bright crown of tinsel, and below it in 

 the same shining material a large C. It is the cattle 

 of His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Bavaria re- 

 turning for the winter from the mountain pasturage. 



