A REMINISCENCE 5 



hare slowly lolloping along towards me, which I presently bowled 

 over. I hope you are a female, you brute ! I thought, for I was 

 angry with the sex. My neighbour shot another, nearly giving 

 me the opportunity to fine him for omitting to fire when engaged 

 with a pinch of snuff. I missed a woodcock, but rolled over two 

 more hares in gallant style, while a good deal of shooting went 

 on all along the line. It was a long beat, and produced no 

 more roe but something far heavier than any deer, this time 

 added to the bag of my neighbour. The beat was nearly over, 

 when " spectacles " espied something move behind the hedge on 

 his left front ; although very short-sighted, he came to the con- 

 clusion that it was a hare, and fired with the most extra- 

 ordinary result. A frightful yell was the first intimation that 

 " spectacles " had hit his mark, followed by the most wonderful 

 contortions and pas-de-seul danced on the other side of the 

 hedge by one of the guns in a most peculiar deshabille, calling 

 strongly to mind one of the toy figures which, on pulling a 

 string, throw their arms about, dancing all the while madly with 

 their legs. This was accompanied by some of the strongest 

 language, levelled at the horrified author of the entertainment. 

 Of course every one at once went to the assistance of the un- 

 fortunate man who was holding on with both hands to a certain 

 part of his person as if afraid it would drop off. If the pain had 

 not visibly been so severe, the spectacle would have been a most 

 laughable one, for it was some time before the victim could be 

 persuaded that standing still would be less painful than jumping 

 about poor devil he could not sit down ! The accident was 

 partly his own fault, for having left his post ; but he had tried 

 to hide himself behind the fence, though not successfully 

 altogether, for " spectacles" spotted him and held straight. I 

 could not resist asking the latter afterwards not to shoot any 

 more people, in revenge for his request to me (which had so 

 unreasonably got my blood up) to leave the does alone in future. 



