"
The poor peasant lad had been so unfortunate as to bring down a
hare with a heavy stick. The animal had risen just before him; the
weapon was ready; the temptation too great. Forgetful of all but
the impulse of the moment, he had flung the stick, and the hare
fell. He was just rushing to seize his prize, when the three Norman
pages came suddenly on the scene.
"Here is a young English lout, killing a hare," shouted Etienne;
"lay hold of him."
And before the astonished Eadwin could fly, the son of his lord
fulfilled his own command, and seized the culprit by the collar.
"How didst thou dare, thou false thief, to kill one of our hares?
Dost thou not know the penalty?"
The unhappy lad stammered out faint excuses, in broken English; "he
had not meant to do it--the thing rose up so suddenly"--and the
like. But in the first place his captors did not understand his
language sufficiently to make out the excuses, neither were they in
the mood to receive any.
"What is the law?" said Etienne; "does it not say that he who slays
a hare shall lose the hand that did the deed; and here is a poacher
taken red handed. Louis, where is thy hunting knife?"
"We need not trouble to take him to the castle; off with his hand,
and let him go.
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