further discourse to the man, but turned his attention to other subjects.—After a short pause, Hiram ventured a question:—
"What news does the Judge bring us from the legislater? it's not likely that congress has done much this session; or maybe the French haven't fit any more battles lately?"
"The French, since they have beheaded their king, have done nothing but fight," returned the Judge. "The character of the nation seems changed. I knew many French gentlemen, during our war, and they all appeared to me to be men of great humanity and goodness of heart; but these Jacobins are as blood-thirsty as bull-dogs."
"There was one Roshambow wid us, down at Yorrek-town," cried the landlady; "a mighty pratty man he was, too; and their horse was the very same. It was there that the Sargeant got the hurt in the leg, from the English batteries, bad luck to 'em."
"Ah! mon pauvre Roi!" murmured Monsieur Le Quoi.
"The legislature have been passing laws," continued Marmarduke, "that the country much required. Among others, there is an act, prohibiting the drawing of seines, at any other than proper seasons, in certain of our streams and small lakes; and another, to prohibit the killing of deer in the teeming months. These are laws that were loudly called for, by judicious men; nor do I despair of getting an act, to make the unlawful felling of timber a criminal offence."
The hunter listened to this detail with breathless attention, and when the Judge had ended, he laughed in open derision for a moment, before he made this reply:—
"You may make your laws, Judge, but who will you find to watch the mountains through the
