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and it was probably about six o'clock. During his sleep the rain hadended by soaking the leaves, so that he was now immersed in a kind ofchilly bath. Still he remained in it, feeling that he was there shelteredfrom the police, who must now surely be searching for him. None of thosebloodhounds would guess his presence in that hole, for his body was quiteburied, and briers almost completely hid his head. So he did not stir,but watched the rise of the dawn.
* This ditch or dry moat is about 30 feet deep and 50 feet wide.The counterscarp by which one may descend into it has an angleof 45 degrees.--Trans.
When at eight o'clock some policemen and keepers came by, searching theditch, they did not perceive him. As he had anticipated, the hunt hadbegun at the first glimmer of light. For a time his heart beat violently;however, nobody else passed, nothing whatever stirred the grass. The onlysounds that reached him were faint ones from the Bois de Boulogne, thering of a bicyclist's bell, the thud of a horse's hoofs, the rumble ofcarriage wheels. And time went by, nine o'clock came, and then teno'clock. Since the rain had ceased falling, Salvat had not suffered somuch from the cold, for he was wearing a thick overcoat which littleMathis had given him. But, on the other hand, hunger was coming back;there was a burning sensation in his stomach, and leaden hoops seemed tobe pressing against his ribs. He had eaten nothing for two days; he hadbeen starving already on the previous evening, when he had accepted aglass of beer at that tavern at Montmartre. Nevertheless, his plan was toremain in the ditch until nightfall, and then slip away in the directionof the village of Boulogne, where he knew of a means of egress from thewood. He was not caught yet, he repeated, he might still manage toescape. Then he tried to get to sleep again, but failed, so painful hadhis sufferings become. By the time it was eleven, everything swam beforehis eyes. He once nearly fainted, and thought that he was going to die.Then rage gradually mastered him, and, all at once, he sprang out of hisleafy hiding-place, desperately hungering for food, unable to remainthere any longer, and determined to find something to eat, even should itcost him his liberty and life. It was then noon.On leaving the ditch he found the spreading lawns of the chateau of LaMuette before him. He crossed them at a run, like a madman, instinctivelygoing towards Boulogne, with the one idea that his only means of escapelay in that direction. It seemed miraculous that nobody paid attention tohis helter-skelter flight. However, when he had reached the cover of sometrees he became conscious of his imprudence, and almost regretted thesudden madness which had borne him along, eager for escape. Tremblingnervously, he bent low among some furze bushes, and waited for a fewminutes to ascertain if the police were behind him. Then with watchfuleye and ready ear, wonderful instinct and scent of danger, he slowly wenthis way again. He hoped to pass between the upper lake and the Auteuilrace-course; but there were few trees in that part, and they formed abroad avenue. He therefore had to exert all his skill in order to avoidobservation, availing himself of the slenderest stems, the smallestbushes, as screens, and only venturing onward after a lengthy inspectionof his surroundings. Before long the sight of a guard in the distance
