The horsemen soon came up, and casting off a
sufficient number of slowhounds, sent them, with the prickers, into the
cover, in order to chive the game from his strength. This object being
accomplished, afforded another severe chase of several miles, in a
direction almost circular, during which the poor animal tried ever wile
to get rid of his persecutors. He crossed and traversed all such dusty
paths as were likely to retain the least scent of his footsteps; he laid
himself close to the ground, drawing his feet under his belly, and
clapping his nose close to the earth, lest he should be betrayed to the
hounds by his breath and hoofs. When all was in vain, and he found the
hounds coming fast in upon him, his own strength failing, his mouth
embossed with foam, and the tears dropping from his eyes, he turned in
despair upon his pursuers, who then stood at gaze, making an hideous
clamour, and awaiting their two-footed auxiliaries. Of these, it chanced
that the Lady Eleanor, taking more pleasure in the sport than Matilda,
and being a less burden to her palfrey than the Lord Boteler, was the
first who arrived at the spot, and taking a cross-bow from an attendant,
discharged a bolt at the stag.
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