pass, and holding him with the end of your gun! You have no idea what an
appetite one gets with such exercise, nor how jolly it is to breakfast
afterward, all together, seated round some favorite old beech-tree.
Enjoy your youth while you have it. Time enough to stay in your chimney-
corner and spit in the ashes when rheumatism has got hold of you.
Perhaps you will say you never have followed the hounds, and do not know
how to handle a gun?"

"That is the exact truth."

"Possibly, but appetite comes with eating, and when once you have tasted
of the pleasures of the chase, you will want to imitate your companions.
Now, see here: we have organized a party at Charbonniere to-morrow,
for the gentlemen of Auberive; there will be some people you know--
Destourbet, justice of the Peace, the clerk Seurrot, Maitre Arbillot and
the tax-collector, Boucheseiche. Hutinet went over the ground yesterday,
and has appointed the meeting for ten o'clock at the Belle-Etoile. Come
with us; there will be good eating and merriment, and also some fine
shooting, I pledge you my word!"

Julien refused at first, but Claudet insisted, and showed him the
necessity of getting more intimately acquainted with the notables of
Auberive--people with whom he would be continually coming in contact as
representing the administration of justice and various affairs in the
canton. He urged so well that young de Buxieres ended by giving his
consent. Manette received immediate instructions to prepare eatables for
Hutinet, the keeper, to take at early dawn to the Belle-Etoile, and it
was decided that the company should start at precisely eight o'clock.

The next morning, at the hour indicated, the 'grand chasserot' was