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The bear leapt towards them; they seized with four hands a pike

that had been stuck in the earth, and each pulled it towards him;

they gazed at the bear till two rows of tusks glittered from a

great red mouth, and a paw armed with claws was already

descending on their brows. They turned pale, jumped back, and

slipped away to where the trees were less dense. The beast reared

up behind them, already he was making a slash with his claws; but

he missed, ran on, reared up again aloft, and with his black paw

aimed at the Count's yellow hair. He would have torn his skull

from his brains as a hat from the head, but just then the

Assessor and the Notary jumped out from either side, and Gerwazy

came running up some hundred paces away in front, and after him

Robak, though without a gun-and the three shot together at the

same instant. as though at a word of command. The bear leapt into

the air.