r a word in reply, and also took my place at the table in silence.
"But now tell me, good cousin, what it was the Baron really wanted you
for?" I told him all, and concluded by stating that I would not lend
myself for the doubtful cure which the Baron had proposed. "And
it would not be practicable," the old gentleman interrupted, "for
to-morrow morning early we set off home, cousin." And so it was that I
never saw Seraphina again.

As soon as we arrived in K---- my old uncle complained that he felt
the effects of the wearying journey this time more than ever. His
moody silence, broken only by violent outbreaks of the worst possible
ill-humour, announced the return of his attacks of gout. One day I was
suddenly called in; I found the old gentleman confined to his bed and
unable to speak, suffering from a paralytic stroke. He held a letter in
his hand, which he had crumpled up tightly in a spasmodic fit. I
recognised the hand-writing of the land-steward of R--sitten; but,
quite upset by my trouble, I did not venture to take the letter out of
the old gentleman's hand. I did not doubt that his end was near. But
his pulse began to beat again, even before the physician arrived; the
old gentleman's remarkably tough constitution resisted the mortal
attack, although he was in his seventieth year. That selfsame day the
doctor pronounced him out of danger.

We had a more severe winter than usual; this was followed by a rough
and stormy spring; and hence it was more the gout--a consequence of the
inclemency of the season--than his previous accident which kept him for
a long time confined to his bed. During this period he made up his mind
to retire altogether from all kinds of business. He transferred his
office of Justitiarius to others; and so I was cut off from all hope of
ever again going to R--sitten. The old gentleman would allow no one to
attend him but me; and it was to me alone that he looked for all
amusement and every cheerful diversion. And though, in the hours when
he was free from pain, his good spirits returned, and he had no lack of
broad jests, even making mention of hunting exploits, so that I fully
expected every minute to hear him make a butt of my heroic deed, when I
had killed the wolf with my whinger, yet never once did he allude to
our visit to R--sitten, and as may well be imagined, I was very
careful, from natural shyness, not to lead him directly up to the
subject. My harassing anxiety and continual atten