Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/293

Rh but when they looked at me with astonishment, I was ashamed of myself, and left them to their work and went away into the woods. I wandered about for a whole hour, followed by the thought that the birch begged me to spare her life. When I composed my feelings and returned to the spot, she was down; not a leaf stirred on her, she lay there like a corpse. I was seized with remorse, as if I had committed murder. For several days I was almost ill, but I did not tell any one the cause, and if we had not happened to speak of such things to-day, I suppose I never should have mentioned the circumstance."

"Something similar happened to me," began Mr. Beyer in his deep voice. "I was to furnish the game for my master. I went hunting. A fawn came in my path,—a handsome creature, with hair as smooth and even as if it had been trimmed. She looked about her gayly and here and there cropped the grass. I was moved with compassion; but I thought: 'How simple I am?' I fired, but my hand trembled, and I hit the fawn in the side; she fell and could go no further. My dog rushed to her, but I called him back, for something told me I must not let him harm her. I went to her, and I cannot tell you how that creature looked at me,—so mournfully, and so imploringly! I pulled out my knife, and thrust it into her heart; her limbs quivered and she was dead. But I burst into tears and since that time,—well, why should I be ashamed of it?"

"Father won't shoot at a fawn," quickly cried Orel.

"Quite true. Whenever I aim, I see before me