ietly as
possible."

"It is very probable, my lord, that all these brave gentlemen are
asleep, for they did not know at what hour your highness was to arrive."

"This mad--this brave Mortimer is capable of waiting up all night for
me," said Croustillac, with disquietude.

"That is not to be doubted, your highness, by one who knows the ardent
impatience with which he desires your return."

"Hold, sir," said the Gascon, "between you and me, I know my Mortimer;
he is very nervous, very impressionable. I should fear for him--a shock,
a too sudden effect of joy, should I appear abruptly before him. Thus,
in going aboard I shall take the precaution of well wrapping myself up
in order to escape his eyes--and even if he asks you if I shall soon
arrive, oblige me by answering him in an evasive manner. In this way we
can prepare him for an interview, which without these precautions might
prove fatal to this devoted friend."

"Ah! fear nothing, your highness; excess of joy can never be fatal."

"Indeed, you deceive yourself, sir; without taking account of a thousand
general facts with which I might corroborate my opinion, I will cite on
this subject a fact quite personal and particular to the very man of
whom we are now talking."

"To Lord Mortimer?"

"To him, sir. I shall never forget that once I saw him seized with
frightful convulsions under circumstances almost similar. There were
nervous starts--swoons----"

"However, your highness, Lord Mortimer has an athletic constitution."

"An athletic constitution? Come, then, it only remained that I should
encounter a Hercules in this run-mad Pylades," thought Croustillac. He
spoke aloud:

"You don't know, sir, that it is these very men of great strength who
are just the ones who most keenly feel such shocks. I will even tell
you--but this is entirely between ourselves--at least----"

"Your highness may be sure of my discretion."

"You will understand my reserve, sir. I will tell you then that, on the
occasion of which I speak--this unfortunate Mortimer was so
stupefied--(if it were not for our intimate friendship, I should say
rendered stupid) by seeing too suddenly some one he had not met for a
long time--that his head--you comprehend----"

"What, your highness, his reason----"

"Alas! yes, in this instance only--. You now comprehend why I demand
secrecy of you?"

"Yes, yes, your highness."

"But that was not all; the shock suffered by poor Mortimer was such
th