they had been killed. In the first row those killed by the king himself
were ranged; and he numbered forty-six roe-bucks, and one _marcassin_
(young wild boar;) the spoil of the dauphin was thirty-eight roe-bucks,
being eight less than his royal father, while the rest of the company
destroyed among them fifty-four, making a grand total of 138 roes, and
one wild boar.

While the carcasses thus remained strewn on the ground, the work of
disembowelling quickly proceeded. It was the business of one man to range
the game in the order I have mentioned--another ripped open the body with
a sharp knife, while a third party, to the amount of a dozen, were
engaged in the disembowelling.

The day, which hitherto was bright and glorious, now began to close into
evening. The air became keener, and I felt a disposition to leave the
forest and return to Fontainbleau. But, though I had heard the king, I
had not yet seen him, and my party being anxious to come in contact with
royalty, I consented to remain. Presently the crowd began to rush towards
the enclosed space, but the gendarmes, ever active, kept them at bay. The
multitude, however, despite opposition, ranged themselves into two lines;
and, in a few minutes, the signal ran that the king was coming.

His majesty was on foot--he was surrounded by the officers of his
household, dressed in a plain, dark-green frock, with a star on his
breast. On his head was a small, round, gray hat, full of days, or mayhap
years, and of services. His breeches were of the homeliest thickset; and
he also wore a pair of large leather gaiters--such as are very common
among farmers and peasants in Kent and Sussex. Though the conformation of
his figure was not powerful, yet it was muscular and wiry, and he
appeared in perfect health.