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Here the wood was thinner; from within could be heard a roaring,

and the crackling of breaking boughs, until finally the bear

darted from the dense forest like a thunderbolt from the clouds.

From all sides the dogs were chasing him, terrifying him, tearing

him, until at last he rose on his hind legs and looked around,

frightening his enemies with a roar; with his fore paws he tore

up now the roots of a tree, now charred stumps, now stones that

had grown into the earth, hurling them at dogs and men; finally

he broke down a tree, and brandishing it like a club to the right

and the left, he rushed straight at the last guardians of the

line of beaters, at the Count and Thaddeus. They stood their

ground unafraid, and levelled the barrels of their muskets at the

beast, like two lightning-rods at the bosom of a dark cloud; then

both at once pulled their triggers (inexperienced lads!) and the

guns thundered together: they missed.