402 THE LION KILLER. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



ANOTHER PUSH FOR A LION HUNTING BRIGADE. 



One month, after the scene I have described, I was on the 

 road to France on the sick list. 



My first thought after reaching Paris was my old plan of 

 organizing a company of hunters under military laws, for the 

 use of Algeria. I addressed myself to Monsieur Count 

 Edgar Ney, the chief huntsman, who received the proposition 

 with favor. A memorial having been requested from me, I 

 had the honor of presenting it myself to the Emperor, but 

 alas, a difficulty arose that I had not foreseen. 



In the plan I had proposed for the formation of a company, 

 I had inserted a clause, providing a pension or a place at the 

 Invalides for those who had been grievously wounded in the 

 service. This not coming under the laws of the Empire, 

 caused the rejection of my demand, and I had nothing more 

 to employ myself with for the balance of my leave of absence 

 except the writing of this story of my bunts. When that was 

 finished, and I saw that I could obtain no promise from the 

 government in regard to the company of hunters, and no 

 successor came to join me in spite of my reiterated appeals, 

 I looked around for a few days over the idle life of childish 

 struggles, of wearing excitements, and false honors, that 

 wearied the minds and enfeebled the bodies of the effeminate 

 men of Paris, and turned away with joy to the fresh winds of 

 Atlas, and the bold chase of the desert. 



