When the fog came on, the prudent people hastened to drive back to the chateau; but some of the young folks, escorted by all the peasants of the neighborhood, who had been employed as trackers, delayed too long in descending the mountain, and were obliged to stop at the foot of the hogar, where Larrson advised that they should wait until the moon arose, or until the vapors hanging over the lake should be lifted by the sudden gust of wind by which the rising of the moon is often preceded. Some of the party had the lanterns of their sleighs lighted, and preferred to return at once, but about a dozen remained. Plenty of brandy was distributed to the peasants, who dispersed to their various homes. The servants and marksmen blew trumpets, and lighted a large fire on the hogar, close to the formless fragments of the statue of snow, and the merry company assembled in the grotto, before which the game was piled up in the form of a pyramid, and gayly chatted there at their leisure, relating their adventures, and discussing the various episodes of the hunt.
But the major’s stories so far exceeded what any of his companions had to relate, that soon every one was silent, to listen to him. Among his audience, which included both sexes, were Olga, Martina, and Margaret, who had been allowed by her aunt to remain on the hogar with Mademoiselle Potin and the minister’s daughter.
“So, gentlemen,” said Olga to the major and the lieutenant, “you have been slyly performing dangerous exploits, the proof of which you promise to show us to-morrow, if we will consent to take a walk to your house.”
“Say the proofs!” replied the major; “an enormous creature, a spotted bear with blue eyes, quite a large black bear, and two cubs, which we intend to bring up, so as to have the pleasure of letting them loose and hunting them when they are grown.”
“But who was so fortunate as to kill or capture them all?” inquired Martina Akerstrom, the blond fiancée of the lieutenant.
“The lieutenant captured a cub,” replied the major, turning with an expressive smile to his friend; “the corporal and myself caught another; the peasant who was guiding us wounded the large she-bear, and attacked the black bear; but these two furious beasts would infallibly have torn him into pieces, if another of my friends, who reached the spot all alone, had not ripped open the first, and broken the head of the other with a ball, at half an inch from the poor devil’s face.”
If Christian’s exploit had been related a third time, it is quite evident that the distance between his ball and the danneman’s head would have been inappreciable. The major certainly did not intend to exaggerate: however, his auditors cried out in amazement; but the lieutenant struck his fist upon the table, and took an energetic oath that the distance, if anything, was less, rather than greater, than what the major had said. The lieutenant did not intend to exaggerate, either; how could his dear Osmund be mistaken?
“Well, at any rate,” said Margaret, “the slayer of the monsters you have described must be very courageous, and have great presence of mind, and I should like to offer him my sincere congratulations. Does he remain anonymous out of modesty, or is he not here?”
“He is not here,” replied the baron.
“Is it really true?” rejoined Martina Akerstrom, looking artlessly at her betrothed.