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LESSON 31.

AN AVENGING DOG.

adversary, enemy
bass-relief, sculptured fig-
ures which do not stand
far out from the surface;
when they stand further

chevalier, a knight
crude, imperfect, rough
intimate, suggest, announce
lists, ground enclosed for a
combat

out they are said to be in prompted, moved to action

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When travelling in France some years ago, I visited the Castle of Montargis at the request of a friend, who was anxious to show me a piece of sculpture with which a curious story is connected. Over the chimney-piece in the large hall I saw, cut out in bass-relief, the figure of a splendid dog fighting with a man. On looking to my friend for an explanation of the subject, he placed in my hand a French book, which contained the following story as here translated :

Aubri de Mondidier, a gentleman of good family and large fortune, was travelling alone through the Forest of Bondi. In a secluded spot he was attacked and murdered. The murderer, without robbing the body, buried it beneath a tree. A dog, an English bloodhound, which had attended the murdered gentleman, would not leave his master's grave for several days. At length, compelled by hunger, the animal left the forest and went to the house of an intimate friend of his master at Paris. Here he commenced howling in a most dreadful

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manner, as if to intimate some great calamity. He could not be pacified. Repeating his cries, he would run to the door, and turn to see if any one followed him; he would then run to his master's friend, and pull him by the sleeve, and try to drag him to the door.

These strange actions of the dog alarmed the whole house, especially as they knew he was the constant companion of his master. So they decided to follow the dog the next time he should attempt to lead the way. The opportunity soon offered itself. The dog led them into the wood, and then to a tree, where he commenced to howl and scratch the earth violently with his feet. Prompted in this manner, the party dug for about a foot deep, and came upon the body of their unhappy friend Aubri de Mondidier.

A little while after this occurrence, the dog met accidentally in the street a person who was known as Chevalier Macaire, and instantly seized him by the throat. It was with the greatest difficulty that the animal could be made to let go his hold. Several times in the course of a few months was this incident repeated; in fact, so savage did the dog become on these occasions, that the chevalier's life was not considered safe as long as the dog was at large, so the animal was chained or kept within private grounds. Now the conduct of the dog was the more strange because he was generally so quiet and well-behaved. It was well known, however, that Macaire had been a bitter enemy to Aubri, and a little suspicion was aroused.

A few months afterwards a circumstance occurred which tended to confirm the suspicion that Macaire knew something of the foul murder. The whole of the details were laid before the king, Louis VIII.,

who sent for the dog. The animal was perfectly gentle towards every one who approached him, and appeared to enjoy the brilliant company in which he found himself. At a given signal from the king Macaire was introduced quietly into the assembly. The moment the dog saw him his manner changed; he ran fiercely towards him, and attempted to seize him by the throat, as before.

In those days the methods of trial and principles of justice were very crude. The king, struck by so much circumstantial evidence against the chevalier, decided to refer the matter to a chance of battle, i.e. that Macaire's innocence or guilt should be proved in a trial by combat. Accordingly, lists were appointed in the isle of Notre Dame, which was then an unenclosed, uninhabited place.

The chevalier was allowed a good thick cudgel for a weapon; the dog was provided with an empty cask as a place of retreat. The fight took place in the presence of the king and his whole court. No sooner was the dog set at liberty than he commenced the attack. He made repeated attempts to seize his adversary, and as repeatedly leaped on one side to avoid the blows which were aimed at him with deadly intent. This was continued until the man was thoroughly exhausted; the dog then sprang forward and seized him by the throat, bearing him to the ground. The chevalier cried out for help, saying that he was prepared to confess to the king the commission of the crime. On his own acknowledgment he was convicted of the murder of the dog's master, and in a few days was beheaded on a scaffold in the isle of Notre Dame.

This is the account of the famous combat between the dog and the chevalier, as related in the Mémoires sur les Duels.

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languid, drooping

emulation, attempt to do as relinquishing, giving up

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Without further preface he conducted them into his little school-room, which was parlour and kitchen likewise, and told them they were welcome to remain under his roof till morning. The child looked round the room as she took her seat. The chief ornaments of the walls were certain moral sentences, fairly copied in good round text, and well-worked sums in simple addition and multiplication, evidently achieved by the same hand, which were plentifully pasted around the room; for the double purpose, as it seemed, of bearing testimony to the excellence of the school, and kindling a worthy emulation in the bosoms of the scholars. 'Yes,' said the schoolmaster, observing that her attention was caught by these specimens, 'that's beautiful writing, my dear.' 'Very, sir,' replied the child modestly; 'is it yours?' 'Mine!' he returned, taking out his spectacles, and putting them on, to have a better view of the triumphs so dear to his heart; 'I couldn't write like that nowa-days. No; they are all done by one hand; a little hand it is, not so old as yours, but a very clever one.'

As the schoolmaster said this, he saw that a small blot of ink had been thrown upon one of the copies, so he took a penknife from his pocket, and going up to the wall, carefully scratched it out. When he had finished, he walked slowly backward from the writing, admiring it as one might contemplate a beautiful picture, but with something of sadness in his voice and manner, which quite touched the child, though she was unacquainted with its cause.

'A little hand indeed,' said the poor schoolmaster. 'Far beyond all his companions in his learning and his sports too. How did he ever come to be so fond of me? That I should love him is no wonder, but that he should love me'- And there the schoolmaster stopped, and took off his spectacles to wipe them, as though they had grown dim.

'I hope there is nothing the matter, sir,' said Nell anxiously.

'Not much, my dear,' returned the schoolmaster. 'I hoped to have seen him on the green to-night. He was always foremost among them. But he'll be there to-morrow.'

'Has he been ill?' asked the child, with a child's quick sympathy.

'Not very. They said he was wandering in his head yesterday, dear boy, and so they said the day before. But that's a part of that kind of disorder; it's not a bad sign-not at all a bad sign.'

The child was silent. He walked to the door, and looked wistfully out. The shadows of night were gathering, and all was still.

'If he could lean on somebody's arm, he would come to me, I know,' he said, returning into the room. 'He always came into the garden to say good-night. But perhaps his illness has only just

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