chern
cleaving the air. For some time the way lay over the great plateau of
the Scisser Alp--a sea of rich grass, full of cattle, where her husband
and niece kept on trying to bring their mules alongside of her to make
her participate in their ecstasy, and partake of their spoils--mountain
pink, celestially blue gentian, brilliant poppy, or the like. Here the
principal annoyance was that their mules were so obstinately bent on not
approaching her that she was in constant alarm for them, while Constance
was absolutely wild with delight, and even grave Frank was exhilarated by
the mountain air into boyish spirits, such as impressed her, though she
resolutely prevented herself from lowering them by manifesting want of
sympathy, though the aiguilles that they admired seemed to her savage,
and the descent, along a perilous winding road, cut out among precipices,
horrified her--on, on, through endless pine forests, where the mules
insisted on keeping her in solitude, and where nothing could be seen
beyond the rough jolting path. At last, when a whole day had gone by,
and even Constance sat her mule in silence and looked very tired, the fir
trees grew more scanty. The aiguilles seemed in all their wildness to be
nodding overhead; there was a small bowling-green, a sort of chalet in
two divisions, united by a gallery: but Mary saw no more, for at that
moment a loose slippery stone gave way, and the bearers stumbled and
fell, dragging the chair so that it tipped over.

Constance, who had ridden on in front with her uncle, first heard a cry
of dismay, and as both leaped off and rushed back, they saw her aunt had
fallen, and partly entangled in the chair.

'Do not touch her!' cried Frank, forgetting that he could not be
understood, and raising her in his arms, as the chair was withdrawn; but
she did not speak or move, and there was a distressing throng and
confusion of strange voices, seeming to hem them in as Constance looked
round, unable to call up a single word of German, or to understand the
exclamations. Then, as she always said, it was like an angel's voice
that said, 'What is it?' as through the crowd came a tall lady in a white
hat and black gown, and knelt down by the prostrate figure, saying, 'I
hope she is only stunned; let us carry her in. It will be better to let
her come round there.'

The lady gave vigorous aid, and, giving a few orders in German, helped
Lord Northmoor to carry the inanimate form into the h