his hunting-bag emptied on his return home? Instead of partridges out came daws and crows, and, instead of a hare, perhaps a dead cat. At last the forester began to reproach him in good earnest for his heedlessness; and Kate herself became anxious for the event of his examination before the duke’s commissioner.
William redoubled his attention and diligence; but, the nearer the day of trial advanced, so much the more was he persecuted by bad luck. Nearly every shot missed; and at length he grew almost afraid of pulling a trigger for fear of doing some mischief; for he had already shot a cow at pasture, and narrowly escaped wounding the herdsman.
“Nay, I stick to my own opinion,” said huntsman Rudolph one night, “somebody has cast a spell over William; for, in the regular course of nature such things could never happen; and this spell he must undo before ever he’ll have any luck.”
“Pooh! pooh! man, what stuff you talk!” replied Bertram. “This is nothing but superstitious foolery, such as no christian hunter
