On the eve of my wedding day, in order that the business might not escape my memory, I told my heyduke to place by my bed in the morning my nice bright dress boots instead of my old hunting jacks.

Very well! Early next morning while I was still on my back in bed, I heard a great barking and yelping in the garden below.

'What's the row ?' I shouted.

They told me the dogs had started a lynx out of the bushes.

'What! a lynx!' I cried, for a lynx, let me tell you, is a rare beast in these parts.