PEEPARATIONS FOE SLArGHTER. 291 



very large preserves. Being of a very witty and 

 convivial turn, he was asked to dine and sleep at 

 the house the previous evening, and rendered him- 

 self, as usual, a most agreeable guest, both over 

 the mahogany and in the drawing-room. After 

 breakfast the ensuing morning, the preparations 

 for slaughter were commenced on such a grand 

 scale, double-barrels being w^hisked and handed 

 about by keepers with as much nonchalance as if 

 they were only walking-sticks, that my friend began 

 to entertain serious thoughts about his wife and 

 children left at home, the odds being sadly against 

 his ever seeing them again. He therefore sought 

 the protecting form of a huge under-keeper, behind 

 whom (on pretence of talking about the game, &c.) 

 he ensconced himself, and thus reached the scene 

 of action in safety. Here he allowed all to take 

 up the positions they fancied in the rides and 

 drives, and thinking to be out of reach of their 

 fire, posted himself in some three-year old hazel 

 coppice wood, nearly as high as his head, as the 

 most secure place from molestation. 



The action soon commenced with the whirring 

 of pheasants, screaming of hares, and squeaking of 

 rabbits, as they fell beneath the fire of their mur- 

 derous assailants, my friend contenting himself 

 with occasional shots as the birds passed over his 



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