Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 2.djvu/195

 fate. 'The laws,' said I to myself, 'are the guardians of human happiness, and therefore I will do whatever is in my power to subvert them. Necessity and thoughtlessness had once compelled me to sin, but now I did it voluntarily because it gave me pleasure."

"I had again recourse to game-stealing, for hunting had always been my chief passion, and life called for support: But this was not the sole motive which prompted me to reassume my former favorite occupation; the desire of bidding defiance to the laws and to infringe the prerogatives of the prince was an additional impulse; I had no apprehension of being taken up once more, for now I had a ball in readiness to stop the mouth of my informer, and was sure I could not miss my aim."

"I killed all the deer which came in my way, selling only a few pieces on the frontiers, the remainder I left behind to