पृष्ठ 321 / 788

I myself, though I have been carrying a gun ever since I was a

child, have often missed; that famous sportsman Tuloszczyk used

to miss, and even the late Pan Rejtan did not always hit the

mark. Of Rejtan I will speak later. As for letting the beast

escape from the line of beaters, as for the two young gentlemen's

not holding their ground before the beast as they ought, though

they had a pike in their hands, that no one can either praise or

blame: for to retreat with one's gun loaded was, according to our

old ideas, to be a coward of cowards; likewise to shoot blindly,

as many do, without letting the beast come close or sighting at

it, is a shameful thing; but whoever aims well, whoever lets the

beast come near him as is proper, even if he misses, may retire

without shame; or he may fight with the pike, but at his own

pleasure and not from compulsion; since the pike is put in a

sportsman's hands not for attack but for defence alone.