and reconnoitred the movements
of the enemy; but so great was the obscurity, that he could discover
nothing--unless, indeed, it was a dark mass which walked and jumped
hither and thither, rolled, frolicked, and rejoiced in his refreshing
bath. The heart of the Parisian was greatly agitated, and beat as if it
would split his flannel waistcoat; nevertheless, he took good and
deliberate aim at the black object in front, and though exceedingly
terrified, he cocked his gun, and in a perfect fever of excitement let
fly both barrels, falling immediately backwards in a corner of his hut,
perfectly bewildered with his own courage. A deep groan followed, and at
the end of a few minutes of agony and suspense, our friend, seeing no
tiger in the act of springing upon him, hazarded another look, when he
still heard the creature moaning, and groaning, and floundering in the
water.

The fact was, he had by a miracle, and without seeing, done that which
he never could have done at mid-day,--his two balls had perforated the
animal's head and neck. Observing the monster raising itself with
difficulty, and endeavouring to withdraw its legs from the sticky mud in
which they were fixed, the courage of despair rushed into his heart--he
left the hut, upsetting everything in his way, and precipitated himself
upon his adversary with a view of despatching him with the butt end of
his gun, or making him retreat further into the _Mare_, when imagine his
consternation and fear,--at the very moment his uplifted arm was
stretched out, like Jupiter's in the act of hurling a thunderbolt, the
animal raised himself on his haunches, looked him full in the face,
opened two enormous jaws, put up two very long ears, and instead of a
roar full of rage and ferocity, sent forth the most agonizing and
dolorous bray that was ever heard from the throat of any ass, French,
English, or Spanish! Yes! it was an ass the banker had mortally wounded;
an unfortunate ass, which, driven by thirst and the heat of the weather,
had left his shed at the neighbouring farm-house, to quench it and
refresh himself with a bath.

Surprise, shame, horror, and confusion began to dance a polka in the
banker's brain, and made him utter the hoarse cry which we had heard.
While we were yet gazing at each other the poor creature, by a last
effort, raised his bleeding head once more above the water, and
collecting all the strength he had left, scrambled from the _Mare_,
gave a half-suffocat