130 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



" They threw themselves on each other, and a struggle of 

 extraordinary violence ensued. After many vigorous efforts, 

 the garde was thrown by Simon. He fell heavily; arid Simon, 

 exasperated with rage, would very likely have finished with 

 him by a kick upon the head or chest, had not the spectators 

 interfered. 



<; They conducted Simon to his cottage ; and thegarde-chasse, 

 supported by his companions, had great difficulty in regain- 

 ing his dwelling-place. It is easy to comprehend that the 

 keepers of the forest could not pardon Simon the advan- 

 tages he had gained over them. The self-pride of the corps 

 was mixed up with it, and they formed a close alliance 

 under the pretext of the protection of the royal domains ; but 

 the real end of which was to be revenged on Simon. They 

 spread all sorts of reports to his disadvantage, pretended 

 that he was a greater poacher than ever, and so damaged 

 his reputation, that none of the neighbouring proprietors or 

 farmers would employ him. 



"Simon and his family were not long ignorant of this league 

 formed against them, and cruelly felt its effects when the 

 sum he had gained at the shooting match was spent. The 

 unfortunate man made many attempts to gain the good 

 opinion of his neighbours, but, as they were generally un- 

 successful, it is easy to imagine that they only served to 

 irritate and harden his mind, so much so, that, when all his 

 resources were gone, it is too true that Simon and his eldest 

 son became greater poachers than ever, and made a most 

 lucrative business of it, in spite of all the surveillance of the 

 gardes des chasses, and the continual risks they ran. 



"I heard all this at Compeigne. They had not failed to 

 write to me, and describe the conduct of my protege, hoping 

 to take away his last support ; but I was resolved to see him 

 once more before definitively making up my mind concerning 

 him. Several days after my return to Paris, one fine morning 



