pot,
I stooped, until my eyes were level with the hole thus made, and
discovered that I was looking through a funnel skilfully cut in the wall
of box. At my end the opening was rather larger than a man's face; at
the other end about as large as the palm of the hand. The funnel rose
gradually, so that I took the further extremity of it to be about seven
feet from the ground, and here it disclosed a feather dangling on a
spray. From the light falling strongly on this, I judged it to be not in
the hedge, but a pace or two from it on the hither side of another fence
of box. On examining the remaining loopholes I discovered that they bore
upon the same feather.

My own mind was at once made up, but I bade my valet go through the same
investigation, and then asked him whether he had ever seen an ambush
of this kind laid for game. He replied at once that the shot would pass
over the tallest stag; and, fortified by this, I mounted without saying
more, and we retraced our steps. The hound presently slipped away,
and without further adventure we reached Fontainebleau a little after
sunset.

I expected to be received by the king with coldness and displeasure, but
it chanced that a catarrh had kept him within doors all day, and, unable
to hunt or to visit his new flame, he had been at leisure in this
palace without a court to consider the imprudence he was committing. He
received me, therefore, with the hearty laugh of a school-boy detected
in a petty fault; and as I hastened to relate to him some of the things
which M. de Boisrose had said of the Baron de Rosny, I soon had the
gratification of perceiving that my presence was not taken amiss. His
Majesty gave orders that bedding should be furnished for my pavilion,
and that his household should wait on me, and himself sent me from his
table a couple of chickens and a fine melon, bidding me at the same time
to come to him when I had supped.

I did so, and found him alone in his closet, awaiting me with
impatience, for he had already divined that I had not made this journey
merely to reproach him. Before informing him, however, of my suspicions,
I craved leave to ask him one or two questions, and, in particular,
whether he had been in the habit of going to Malesherbes daily.

"Daily," he admitted, with a grimace. "What more, grand master?"

"By what road, sire?"

"I have commonly hunted in the morning and visited Malesherbes at
midday. I have returned as a rule by the bridle-p