Hisonevirtueconsistedofhisfondnessforhorses，andinthecarehetookoftheanimalsunderhischarge。Inaword，hewastoogoodagroomtobeeasilyreplaced，orhewouldhavequittedmyservicelongsince。OntheoccasionofwhichIamnowwriting，hewasreportedtomebymystewardasgrowingidleanddisorderlyinhishabits。Theprincipaloffenseallegedagainsthimwas，thathehadbeenseenthatdayinthecityofMetz，inthecompanyofawomansupposedtobeanEnglishwoman，whomhewasentertainingatatavern，whenheoughttohavebeenonhiswaybacktoMaisonRouge。Theman’sdefensewasthat“thelady“ashecalledher
wasanEnglishstranger，unacquaintedwiththewaysoftheplace，andthathehadonlyshownherwhereshecouldobtainsomerefreshmentsatherownrequest。Iadministeredthenecessaryreprimand，withouttroublingmyselftoinquirefurtherintothematter。Infailingtodothis，Itookmythirdstep，blindfold，towardthelastactinthedramaoftheHostler’sDream。
Ontheeveningofthetwenty-eighth，IinformedtheservantsatthestablesthatoneofthemmustwatchthroughthenightbytheEnglishman’sbedside。JosephRigobertimmediatelyvolunteeredfortheduty——asameans，nodoubt，ofwinninghiswaybacktomyfavor。Iacceptedhisproposal。
Thatdaythesurgeondinedwithus。TowardmidnightheandIleftthesmokingroom，andrepairedtoFrancisRaven’sbedside。
Rigobertwasathispost，withnoveryagreeableexpressiononhisface。TheFrenchmanandtheEnglishmanhadevidentlynotgotonwelltogethersofar。FrancisRavenlayhelplessonhisbed，waitingsilentlyfortwointhemorningandtheDreamWoman。