mself, and the following day nothing was talked
of except rides through the desert, Jordan water, the infidels, and the
holy sepulchre. Therefore it afforded me special pleasure, that the
countess should be the first to say: 'of course we must not leave the
doctor--my insignificant self--at home.'_

"_Amid all this, it could not escape one familiar with the
circumstances, that the noble lady's feelings toward her husband had
softened, a fact which I could not help secretly attributing to your
influence, my worthy friend. Old diagnosticians, like ourselves, are
not deceived in such matters; the tone of the voice and the expression
of the eyes, which accompanied even the most insignificant words,
plainly showed me that her former harshness was softening, and I was
already cherishing the brightest expectations of a complete
reconciliation, expectations now unfortunately forever baffled, by this
terrible catastrophe._

"_A hunting party was arranged for Thursday, at which in addition to
the members of the household, no one was present except the barons
Thaddaeus and Matthaeus, who, however, were only spectators, as, since
the accident to the fat landed-proprietor, though the wound is healing,
the furrow made by the ball suppurating properly, and his general
health admirable, they have vowed not to touch a gun, except in defence
of their native land._

"_I, as usual, remained at home, and did not even see the party ride
away, but learned from the steward that Her Excellency had been
particularly gay and blooming, and in unusually good spirits, so that
the count really seemed to grow younger and the company moved off amid
jests and laughter._

"_The occupants of the castle were therefore the more alarmed, when,
soon after noon, the noble party entered the courtyard very quietly at
a walk, the countess lying in a carriage with a very pale face. Count
Gaston riding beside her on horseback, and her husband on the box. We
heard, that in the exuberance of her delight in hunting, Her Excellency
had proposed a steeplechase to the gentlemen, in which her English
chestnut horse instantly took the lead; but in leaping a high fence the
animal unfortunately fell, and though the countess was apparently
unhurt, the fright brought on a long fainting fit. The horse, which had
broken one of its fore legs, was instantly relieved from its sufferings
by a bullet from Count Gaston's pistol, at the express desire of its
mistress, who, however