Michel resolved to read all the novels in the library of the château, hoping to discover from them some ingenious method which, as he began to fear, his own mind, limited to its own inspirations, could never furnish. At this stage of his reflections a touch was laid upon his shoulder; looking round with a quiver he saw Courtin; the farmer's face expressed a satisfaction he did not take any pains to conceal.
"Beg pardon, excuse me, Monsieur Michel," said the man; "seeing you as still as a milestone, I thought it was your statue instead of yourself."
"And I'm glad of it, Monsieur Michel; I was anxious to hear what passed between you and Madame la baronne."
"Oh! I was sure of that. Did you tell her anything about the hare?"
"What wolves?" asked the young man not ill-pleased to bring the conversation to this point.
"The she-wolves of Machecoul; I told you that was the nickname for the young ladies at Souday."
"Of course I did not tell her; you know that, Courtin. I don't think the Souday hounds and those of La Logerie can hunt together."
"In any case," replied Courtin, in the sneering tone which, in spite of his best efforts, he was sometimes unable to conceal, "if your hounds won't hunt with the Souday pack you, as it seems, can hunt with theirs."
"Look!" pulling toward him and, as it were, bringing on the stage two coupled hounds which he held in a leash.
"They? Why, Galon-d'Or and Allégro, to be sure."
"I don't know who Galon-d'Or and Allégro are."
"I didn't take them; I simply put them in the pound."
"By two rights: land-owner's rights, and mayor's rights."
Courtin was mayor of the village of La Logerie, which contained about a score of houses, and he was very proud of the title.
"Well, in the first place, Monsieur Michel, I confiscate them as mayor because they hunt at an illegal season."
"I did not know there was an illegal season for hunting wolves; besides as Monsieur de Souday is Master of wolves--"
"That's very true; as Master of wolves he can hunt wolves in the forest of Machecoul, but not on the plain. Besides, as you know yourself," continued Courtin, with a sneering smile, "as you saw yourself, he was not hunting a wolf at all, but a hare--and moreover, that hare was shot by one of his own _cubs_."