'Which direction did he take?' asked M. de la Rivière.
'He fled into the forest.'
'How long ago?'
'Three nights.'
'Has the forest been searched?'
'We have done our best; but how can fifty thousand acres be thoroughly searched? We want dogs.'
'Here they are,' exclaimed madame, joyously. 'Now, Poulet, and you, Pigeon, you shall have a glorious chase after the wild beast. You shall go straight as arrows after him; you shall track him in all his wanderings, and you shall fall on him and pin him to the ground. Ah! I wish I had brought something of the Beast's here for the hounds to sniff at, to let them know what they are to chase.'
'Madame,' said the little hostess, 'the fellow dropped his handkerchief under my table, when he called my cooking execrable.'
'Bring it here,' ordered the mad woman.