It grieved the old forester much when William returned with a single buck, the produce of the whole day’s hunting; still more astonished and vexed was he the following day when William presented himself with an empty bag, and Rudolf appeared loaded with game. The old man now began to doubt the sincerity of William’s profession of attachment to his daughter, and declared that unless he brought home two roebucks next day, he would dismiss him from his service altogether, and revoke the consent to his marriage with his daughter. Katherine was in the greatest distress at William’s unaccountable behaviour, and conjured him, if he really loved her, to obey her father’s commands, and prove himself a man.
William took his way into the forest next morning with a heavy heart. He now looked upon Katherine as lost to him, and his only doubt was whether to peril his last hopes on the result of that day’s hunting or upon the trial shot before the duke’s Jäger.
These were alternatives between which he felt himself unable to decide; but as he was leaning, in gloomy thought against an ancient tree, a herd of deer came up to him, and he placed his hand mechanically upon his last remaining ball,—it seemed to weigh a hundred weight as he slowly raised it to the mouth of his rifle, and he was about to return it, when he caught a sudden sight of the old tree-legged soldier, apparently advancing towards him in the distance,—there was no longer reason to hesitate,—the ball was driven into the gun, and the next moment two roebucks dropt to the ground. The young hunter left his game lying upon the sward, and hastened to meet the mysterious soldier; but the latter had disappeared, and the youth sought for him many hours in vain.
2 I 2
