inable, and was all one
glare of frozen sleet, which had covered it with a slippery surface,
except where there rose disintegrated ice-hummocks and heaps of
slush--the _debris_ of giant drifts. Moreover, it was as dark as Egypt.
My progress, therefore, was slow. A boy went with me as far as the main
road, and, after seeing me under way, he left me to my own devices. The
horse was very aged, and, I fear, a little rheumatic. Besides, I have
reason to believe that he was blind. That did not make any particular
difference, though; for the darkness was so intense, that eyes were as
useless as they would be to the eyeless fishes of the Mammoth Cave. I
don't intend to prolong my description of this midnight ride. Suffice
it to say that the horse walked all the way, and, although it was
midnight when I started, it was near morning when I reached my
quarters.

I hurried at once to the doctor, and, to his intense disgust, roused
him and implored his services. I made it a personal matter, and put it
in such an affecting light, that he consented to go; but he assured me
that it was the greatest sacrifice to friendship that he had ever made
in his life. I gave him the most explicit directions, and did not leave
him till I saw him on horseback, and trotting, half asleep, down the
street.

Then I went to my room, completely used up after such unparalleled
exertions. I got a roaring fire made, established myself on my sofa
immediately in front of it, and sought to restore my exhausted frame by
hot potations. My intention was to rest for a while, till I felt
thoroughly warmed, and then start for Montmorency to see about the
lady. With this in my mind, and a pipe in my mouth, and a tumbler of
toddy at my elbow, I reclined on my deep, soft, old-fashioned, and
luxurious sofa; and, thus situated, I fell off before I knew it into an
exceedingly profound sleep.

When I awoke, it was broad day. I started up, looked at my watch, and,
to my horror, found that it was half-past twelve. In a short time, I
had flung off my _habitant_ clothes, dressed myself, got my own horse,
and galloped off as fast as possible.

I was deeply vexed at myself for sleeping so long; but I found comfort
in the thought that the doctor had gone on before. The storm had gone
down, and the sky was clear. The sun was shining brightly. The roads
were abominable, but not so bad as they had been, and my progress was
rapid. So I went on at a rattling pace, not sparing my h