The unhappy
brute, pressed so closely, took refuge under the wood-shed, but the head
and horns of his foe pursued him thither, and there no doubt he nailed
his adversary to the wall, for although I could only see the bull's
hind-quarters, I could hear a dreadful shriek, followed by a crunching of
bones, and presently a pool of blood was flowing over the pavement.
I could only see the bull's hind-quarters and his tail waving aloft like
a battle-flag. You would have thought he wanted to bring the walls down
by the furious and violent pounding of his hind-feet. That silent scene
in shadow was fearful. I did not wait to see the end. I came carefully
down my ladder, and slipped out of the court like a thief. You may
imagine with what pleasure I inhaled the pure open air; and passing
through the crowd collected round the door where the bear-leader was
tearing his hair in his wild despair, I ran off to my aunt's house.
I was just going round under the arcades when I was stopped by my old
drawing-master, Conrad Schmidt.
"Caspar!" he cried, "where are you going in such a hurry?"
"I am going to paint the great bear-fight!" I answered enthusiastically.
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