Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/128

 hundred starts and gambols. It seemed, as if he felt I was going to leave him for a long time, and would thus bid me farewell. I could not indeed take him with me, without betraying myself. Ten times he jumped up to lick away the tears that were rolling from my face. I had borne every thing with composure, even the last embrace of my Antonio, but this mute parting scene with a dumb animal, made my heart melt in woe. The poor beast!—He surely must have felt my grief. He hung his head so sadly—his whining was so oppressively moanful—perhaps it was the only equanimous friend I left behind me!—

By this time, the pack in the kennel began also to be unruly, and no time was to be lost, if I wished to set off unperceived. I took therefore Fidello by his proffered paw, and fondly stroking his head: "poor Fidello," said I, "thy master is going. Thou'lt be the last to forget me!" Here, with some difficulty I bolted the stable-door upon him, shut my ear against his anxious scraping, and faithful complaints, opened a back-gate, and rode off gallopping on a well known road, which soon