صفحة 642 من 788

The huntsmen, each holding his hound by the collar, pointed their

fingers to the spot from which the hare was to appear, and made a

soft smacking sound with their lips; the hounds pricked up their

ears, snuffed the wind with their muzzles and trembled

impatiently, like two arrows set on one string. All at once the

Seneschal shouted, "At him," and the hare darted from behind the

fence into the meadow, the hounds after him; and speedily,

without making a single turn, Falcon and Bobtail together fell

upon the grey rabbit from opposite sides at the same instant,

like the two wings of a bird, and buried their teeth like talons

in his back. The rabbit gave one cry, like a newborn babe,

pitifully! The huntsmen ran up; it already lay breathless, and

the hounds were tearing the white fur beneath its belly.

The huntsmen were patting their dogs, but meanwhile while the

Seneschal, drawing the hunting-knife that hung at his girdle, cut

off the feet and said:-