PKECAUTIONS MISUNDERSTOOD. l75 



the hounds, with M. d'Ancliald, Ludovic, and 

 Maurice, and some of the blouses, went one way ; 

 and myself, with Jules d'Anchald, one or two other 

 French gentlemen, and a number of blouses, the other.: 

 On our road I begged Jules to come to some definite 

 arrangement with so many guns as to taking post, so 

 that I might know the line of the probable fire, I 

 being the only one of this party who was mounted, 

 and therefore likely to move about; besides which, 

 as mine was an immensely powerful gun, I should 

 not have liked to have fired unless I thought I had a 

 clear range. Apparently my anxiety to come to so 

 useful an understanding was misunderstood, and Jules 

 taking up the idea of some of my companions, asked 

 me in English, " if he should confirm their notions 

 that I was a ' yqyj nervous gentleman.' " This idea 

 in no way suited my humour, so I replied, '^ Oh ! 

 no ; on no account whatever give in to that delusion ; 

 but explain to them that I am not alarmed as to my 

 own safety, but simply as to theirs ; and by way of 

 keeping them out of harm's way, assure them that I 

 never think it possible that any man can kill me, but 

 very possible that I should kill many of them, for I 

 am so zealous for a shot that I fire in all directions 

 at anything that moves, and hence my wish to know 



