222 EXPERIENCES OP SPORT. 



or four hours, and had marked a covey down in 

 some high fern, which I followed up. My two 

 setters were working well before me ; I was 

 looking on admiring them, when I was startled 

 by something close to me. I saw the fern wave, 

 I pulled trigger, and on going up to the spot 

 t>eheld to my horror and consternation a beau- 

 tiful brocard lying struggling in the agonies of 

 death. 



" I shall never forget my feelings at this mo- 

 ment ; I knew that I had been guilty of a breach 

 of trust, and shot the very game that the kind 

 proprietor had so particularly requested me not 

 to do. I did not know how to act, and felt 

 quite disgusted with myself; at last I resolved 

 to leave the brocard on the spot it lay, and go 

 direct to the chateau and inform the count of 

 what I had done. He did not expect me so 

 soon, and hoped that I had had good sport. 

 I never felt so confused or awkward in my life, 

 but at last I blurted out the catastrophe. I 

 told him how excessively hurt I was with my- 

 self in having unfortunately shot the chevreuil, 

 but that it was in a place I had least expected 

 to find one, and had pulled trigger without 



