The notary's nose;

58 THE NOTARY S NOSE.
the wind. Twice they thought they could
surround him. Twice he forced the circle
and took to the field. One moment he
seemed to be conquered by fatigue or despair. He had fallen on his side, tryingto
jump from one tree to another, as squirrels
do. M. l'Ambert's valet ran for him from
the farther end of the crowd. He reached
him in a few strides, and seized him by the
tail; but the miniature tiger conquered his
liberty by a blow of his paw, and escaped
into the woods again.
They followed him to the plain; long,
long was the road already traversed;
immense was the plain which spread out
like a chess-board before the hunters and
their prey.
The heat of the day was oppressive;
great black clouds were piled up in the west;
the sweat rolled down all their faces; but
nothing could quench the eagerness of
these eight devoted men.