38 A MONTH IN THE FOKESTS OF FRANCE. 



thing and another, and a wheel chose to get into a 

 very lively state of fire instead of locomotion, it was 

 after two o'clock in the morning before the hospitable 

 chateau received us under its ample roof. 



As soon as we reached the precincts of the forest, 

 ^J eyes were straining from the carriage-window 

 into its deep dark depths, and wondering, as the white 

 stems of the aspen and ash stood out in the light of 

 the lamps from the impervious background, if a boar 

 or wolf had ever passed under the boughs and stems 

 I saw ! At one spot, as we neared the chateau, M. 

 d'Anchald heightened the interest I felt by telling me 

 there was a litter of wolves hard by ; for one of his 

 people, who were on the look-out, had found their 

 ** larder" with the remains of a horse in it, and, while 

 this man was searching for signs of the using of 

 wolves, he had put up a band of ten wild boars. 



I must not forget to mention the two white mares 

 which drew the carriage — one of them, for heavy 

 power and shape, the cleverest creature of the sort I 

 ever saw. She had the immense power of an English 

 dray-horse, while at the same time she could trot 

 lightly and well in a barouche, and was symmetry 

 itself to look at. The other mare was immensely 

 powerful and clever, but not so handsome. 



On entering the chateau, forming the rug of the 



