"i at once suspected nothing good. i dressed myself quickly, ordered my palfrey to be saddled, and accompanied only by one servant, rode full gallop to the forest. the servant fell with his horse, and could not follow me, for the horse had broken its foot. i pursued my way without halting, and in a few minutes i saw the stranger coming towards me with a beautiful stag which he led by a cord. i asked him where he had left my brother, and how he had come by this stag, out of whose great eyes i saw tears flowing. instead of answering me, he began to laugh loudly. i fell into a great rage at this, pulled out a pistol and discharged it at the monster; but the ball rebounded from his breast and went into my horse’s head. i fell to the ground, and the stranger muttered some words which deprived me of consciousness.