elica, or tell her, calmly
and quietly, the terrible truth.

When he came into the house he found everything in the utmost confusion
and consternation. Angelica, in the middle of an animated conversation,
had suddenly closed her eyes, and fallen into a state of profound
insensibility. She was lying on a sofa in an adjoining room. Her face
was not pale, nor in the least distorted; the roses of her cheeks
bloomed brighter and fresher than ever, and her face shone with an
indescribable expression of happiness and delight. She was as one
penetrated with the highest blissfulness. The doctor, after observing
her with the minutest carefulness of examination for a long while,
declared that there was not the least cause for anxiety in her
condition, nor the slightest danger. He said she was (although it was
entirely inexplicable _how_ she was) in a magnetized condition, and
that he would not venture to awaken her from it: she would wake from it
of her own accord presently.

Meanwhile mysterious whisperings arose amongst the guests. The sudden
death of the Count seemed to have somehow got wind, and they all
dispersed in gloomy silence. One could hear the carriages rolling away.

Madame von G----, bending over Angelica, watched her every respiration.
She seemed to be whispering words, but none could hear or understand
them. The doctor would not allow her to be undressed; even her gloves
were not to be taken off; he said it would be hurtful even to touch
her.

All at once she opened her eyes, started up from the sofa, and, with a
resounding cry of "Here he is!" "Here he is!" went rushing out of the
room, through the ante-chamber and down the stairs.

"She is out of her mind," cried Madame von G----. "Oh, God of Heaven,
she is mad!" "No, no," the Doctor said, "this is not madness; there is
something altogether unheard of taking place," with which he hastened
after her down the steps.

He saw her speeding like an arrow, with her arms lifted up above her
head, out of the gate and away along the broad high road, her rich
lace-ornamented dress fluttering, and her hair, which had come down,
streaming in the wind.

A man on horseback was coming tearing up towards her; when he reached
her, he sprang from his horse and clasped her in his arms. Two other
riders who were following him drew rein and dismounted.

The Colonel, who had followed the doctor in hot haste, stood gazing on
the group in speechless astonishment, rubbing his fo