VISIT TO SIMON L' ARCHER. 131 



whilst occupied with different reflections, the souvenir of 

 Simon, whom I had almost forgotten, presented itself to iny 

 memory. I ordered my horse, and two hours afterwards 

 was before his cottage. After knocking several times at the 

 door without receiving any answer, I lifted the latch and 

 entered. Instead of the barking of Simon's faithful com- 

 panions, I heard plaintive sounds, accompanied by groans and 

 sighs. The dogs were stretched upon the ground, sad and 

 silent. 



" Still these moans and cries continued. I called several 

 times without receiving an answer j at length Simon's wife 

 appeared from a recess at the end of the cottage. She was 

 pale and livid, her hair fell in dishevelled masses over her 

 shoulders, and some fearful calamity was imprinted on her 

 countenance. When she perceived me, she uttered piercing 

 cries. ' O, Monsieur le Compte !' said she, ' my husband 

 my husband my poor Simon ! Behold this,' added she, 

 conducting me into an inner chamber, and lifting a coarse 

 sheet which covered the body of poor Simon. ' See what 

 they have done to him.' 



" I made a close inspection. There was a large wound in 

 the chest inflicted by buck-shot. The left arm was shat- 

 tered; it was a horrible spectacle. I afterwards learnt all 

 the circumstances attendant upon this event. 



" The previous night, at about ten o'clock, Simon and his 

 son, each armed with a gun, had departed, as was their cus- 

 tom, to watch where the pheasants roosted. Midnight had 

 arrived when they penetrated into the taillis de laBreteche, not 

 far from the Pavilion Darasne. They had already shot several 

 pheasants, and were anxiously peering up into the trees where 

 these birds were taking their unconscious repose, their heads 

 under their wings, when several gardes des chasses, who had 

 either some presentiment of the fact, or knowledge of their 

 projects, were hid in ambuscade at no great distance. The 



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