Thisisolationis，Ithink，gettingonmynerves。IthoughtforawhilelastnightthatIwasgettingon，butthereactioncamealltoosoon。Iwasinmyroomintheeastturret，theroomonthecorbeille，andsawhereandtheremenpassingsilentlyandswiftlybetweenthetreesasthoughinsecret。By—and—byIlocatedtheirmeeting—place，whichwasinahollowinthemidstofthewoodjustoutsidethe\"natural\"garden，asthemaporplanofthecastlecallsit。IstalkedthatplaceforallIwasworth，andsuddenlywalkedstraightintothemidstofthem。Therewereperhapstwoorthreehundredgathered，abouttheveryfinestlotofmenIeversawinmylife。Itwasinitswayquiteanexperience，andonenotlikelytoberepeated，for，asItoldyou，inthiscountryeverymancarriesarifle，andknowshowtouseit。IdonotthinkIhaveseenasingleman（ormarriedmaneither）withouthisriflesinceIcamehere。I
wonderiftheytakethemwiththemtobed！Well，theinstantafterI
stoodamongstthemeveryrifleintheplacewasaimedstraightatme。
Don’tbealarmed，AuntJanet；theydidnotfireatme。IftheyhadI
shouldnotbewritingtoyounow。Ishouldbeinthatlittlebitofrealestateorthestonebox，andaboutasfullofleadasIcouldhold。Ordinarily，Itakeit，theywouldhavefiredontheinstant；