34 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



impetus to the blow and butts with all the weight of his 

 body and with all the intensity of fury upon the wounded 

 stag struggling on the ground. When I saw this, I assure 

 you I was quite overcome. ' And so I have missed him 

 after all/ thought I. You know what a feeling that is, and 

 how at the moment one would give anything in the whole 

 world for but a single shot more to retrieve the misfor- 

 tune. Had I only the forester with me, with my second 

 rifle ! And so I stood helpless, looking at the stag and 

 waiting to see what would happen next. There were two 

 pines on the spot, opposite each other, and against one I 

 was leaning with my back. Close behind it too were 

 rocks, so that in this direction I could not retrograde a 

 step. 



" Now while standing thus, the stag at which I had 

 fired gazed at me as if he had now only perceived me for 

 the first time ; and with head low on the ground, rushes 

 upon me between the two trees, as glad to find a near 

 object on which to wreak his vengeance. I thought it 

 was all over with me now, for step back further I could 

 not ; but though I expected the next moment to be fly- 

 ing on his pointed antlers up in the air, I still, as you 

 may suppose, made myself as thin as possible while flat- 

 tening myself against the pine. On he came, and passed 

 so near, that had I stretched out my foot, I could have 

 given him a kick. He went on, and rushed down the 

 slope ; and though I could hear him as he broke away, 

 he was soon out of sight." 



" And how many points had the other stag V 3 I asked. 



" It was a capital stag of twelve ; he was an old fel- 

 low, and had, no doubt, had more in former years. But 

 as he was still attempting to rise, and not knowing where 

 my shot had struck him, and whether he might not get 

 up at last and be off, as is not seldom the case when 



