“Icanhardlyrealizehowlongthispursuitafteranunseenpreylasted；IcanonlyrememberthatIwasgettingratherfaintwithfatigue，andignominiouslyheldontomypommel，whenallofasuddentheblackoutlineofasleighmergedintosightinfrontofus。
“Irubbedmysmartingeyeswithmybenumbedhand；weweregaininguponitsecondbysecond；twoofthosehellhoundsofthebaron’swerealreadywithinafewleapsofit。
“SoonIwasabletomakeouttwofigures，onestandingupandurgingthehorsesonwithwhipandvoice，theotherclingingtothebackseatandlookingtowardusinanattitudeofterror。Agreatfearcreptintomyhalf-frozenbrain——werewenotbringingdeadlydangerinsteadofhelptothesetravelers？GreatGod！didthebaronmeantousethemasabaitforhisnewmethodofwolfhunting？
“IwouldhaveturneduponKossowskiwithacryofexpostulationorwarning，buthe，urgingonhishoundsashegallopedontheirflank，howlingandgesticulatinglikeaveritableHun，passedmebylikeaflash——andallatonceIknew。“
Marshfieldpausedforamomentandsenthispalesmilerounduponhislisteners，whonowshowednosignsofsleepiness；heknockedtheashfromhiscigar，twistedthelatterroundinhismouth，andaddeddryly:
“AndIconfessitseemedtomealittlestrongevenforabaronintheCarpathians。Thetravelerswereourquarry。ButthereasonwhytheLordofYanyhadturnedman-hunterIwasyettolearn。
JustthenIhadtodirectmyenergiestofrustratinghisplans。I
usedmyspursmercilessly。WhileIdrewupevenwithhimIsawthetwofiguresinthesleighchangeplaces；hewhohadhithertodrivennowfacedback，whilehiscompaniontookthereins；therewasthepalebluesheenofarevolverbarrelunderthemoonlight，followedbyayellowflash，andthenearesthoundrolledoverinthesnow。
“Withanoaththebarontwistedroundinhissaddletocallupandurgeontheremainder。Myhorsehadtakenfrightatthereportanddashedirresistiblyforward，bringingmeatoncealmostlevelwiththefugitives，andthenextinstanttherevolverwasturnedmenacinglytowardme。Therewasnotimetoexplain；mypistolwasalreadydrawn，andasanotherofthebrutesboundedup，almostundermyhorse’sfeet，Iloosedituponhim。Imusthaveletoffbothbarrelsatonce，fortheweaponflewoutofmyhand，butthehound’sbackwasbroken。Ipresumethetravelerunderstood；atanyrate，hedidnotfireatme。
“Inmomentsofintenseexcitementlikethese，strangelyenough，themindisextraordinarilyopentoimpressions。Ishallneverforgetthatman’scountenanceinthesledge，ashestooduprightanddefiedusinhismortaldanger；itwasyoung，veryhandsome，thefeaturesnotdistorted，butsetintoasortofdesperate，stonycalm，andIknewit，beyondalldoubt，forthatofanEnglishman。
AndthenIsawhiscompanion——itwasthebaron’swife。AndI
understoodwhythebellshadbeenremoved。
“Ittakesalongtimetosaythis；itonlyrequiredaninstanttoseeit。Theloudexplosionofmypistolhadhardlyceasedtoringbeforethebaron，withafearfulimprecation，wasuponme。Firsthelashedatmewithhiswhipaswetorealongsidebyside，andthenIsawhimwindthereinsroundhisoffarmandbendover，andIfelthisangryfingersclosetightlyonmyrightfoot。ThenextinstantIshouldhavebeenliftedoutofmysaddle，buttherecameanothershotfromthesledge。Thebaron’shorseplungedandstumbled，andthebaron，hangingontomyfootwithafiercegrip，waswrenchedfromhisseat。Hishorse，however，wasupagainimmediately，andIwasreleased，andthenIcaughtaconfusedglimpseofthefrightenedandwoundedanimalgallopingwildlyawaytotheright，leavingablacktrackofbloodbehindhiminthesnow，hismaster，entangledinthereins，runningwithincredibleswiftnessbyhissideandendeavoringtovaultbackintothesaddle。
“Andnowcametopassaterriblethingwhich，inhissavageplans，myhosthaddoubtlessneveranticipated。
“Oneofthehoundsthathadduringthisshortcheckrecoveredlostground，comingacrossthishottrailofblood，turnedawayfromhiscourse，andwithajoyousyelldartedaftertherunningman。Inanotherinstanttheremainderofthepackwasuponthenewscent。
“AssoonasIcouldstopmyhorse，Itriedtoturnhiminthedirectionthenewchasehadtaken，butjustthen，throughthenightair，overtherecedingsoundofthehorse’sscamperandthesobbingofthepackinfullcry，therecamealongscream，andafterthatasickeningsilence。AndIknewthatsomewhereyonder，underthebeautifulmoonlight，theBaronKossowskiwasbeingdevouredbyhisstarvingdogs。
“Ilookedround，withthesweatonmyface，vaguely，forsomehumanbeingtosharethehorrorofthemoment，andIsaw，glidingaway，farawayinthewhitedistance，theblacksilhouetteofthesledge。“
“Well？“saidwe，indiverstonesofimpatience，curiosity，orhorror，accordingtoourdiverstemperaments，asthespeakeruncrossedhislegsandgazedatusinmildtriumph，withalltheairofhavingsaidhissay，andsatisfactorilyprovedhispoint。
“Well，“repeatedhe，“whatmoredoyouwanttoknow？Itwillinterestyoubutslightly，Iamsure，tohearhowIfoundmywaybacktotheHof；orhowItoldasmuchasIdeemedprudentoftheevening’sgrewsomeworktothebaron’sservants，who，bytheway，tomyamazement，displayedtheprofoundestandmostunmistakablesorrowatthetidings，andsalliedforthattheirheadtheCossackwhohadseenusdeparttoseekforhisremains。Excusetheunpleasantnessoftheremark:Ifearthedogsmusthaveleftverylittleofhim，hehaddietedthemsocarefully。However，sinceitwastohavebeenacaseof’chop，crunch，andgobble，’asthebaronhadit，Ipreferredthatthatparticularfateshouldhaveovertakenhimratherthanme——or，forthatmatter，eitherofthosetwocountrypeopleofoursinthesledge。
“NoramIgoingtoinflictuponyou，“continuedMarshfield，afterdraininghisglass，“afullaccountofmyimpressionswhenIfoundmyselfoncemoreinthatimmense，deserted，andstrickenhouse，soluxuriouslypreparedforthemistresswhohadfledfromit；howI
philosophizedoverallthis，accordingtomywont；theconjecturesImadeastothefirstactsofthedrama；theuntoldsufferingsmycountrywomanmusthaveenduredfromthemomentherhusbandfirstgrewjealoustillshedeterminedonthisdesperatestep；astohowandwhenshehadmetherlover，howtheycommunicated，andhowthebaronhaddiscoveredtheintendedflittingintimetoconcocthischaracteristicrevenge。
“Onethingyoumaybesureof，IhadnomindtoremainatYanyanhourlongerthannecessary。Ievencontrivedtogetwellclearoftheneighborhoodbeforethelady’sabsencewasdiscovered。Luckilyforme——orImighthavebeentaxedwithconnivance，thoughindeedthesimplehouseholddidnotseemtoknowwhatsuspicionwas，andacceptedmyaccountwithchildlikecredence——verytypical，andveryconvenienttomeatthesametime。“
“Buthowdoyouknow，“saidoneofus，“thatthemanwasherlover？
Hemighthavebeenherbrotherorsomeotherrelative。“
“That，“saidMarshfield，withhislittleflatlaugh，“Ihappentohaveascertained——and，curiouslyenough，onlyafewweeksago。Itwasattheplay，betweentheacts，frommycomfortableseatthefirstrowinthepit。IwaslookingleisurelyroundthehousewhenIcaughtsightofawoman，inaboxcloseby，whoseheadwasturnedfromme，andwhopresentedthesomewhatunusualspectacleofayoungneckandshouldersofthemostexquisitecontour——andperfectlygrayhair；andnotdullgray，butratherofapleasingtintlikefrostedsilver。Thisarousedmycuriosity。Ibroughtmyglassestoafocusonherandwaitedpatientlytillsheturnedround。ThenIrecognizedtheBaronessKassowski，andInolongerwonderedattheyounghairbeingwhite。
“Yetshelookedplacidandhappy；strangelyso，itseemedtome，underthesuddenrevivinginmymemoryofsuchscenesasIhavenowdescribed。ButpresentlyIunderstoodfurther:besideher，incloseattendance，wasthemanofthesledge，ahandsomefellowwithmuchofamilitaryairabouthim。
“Duringthecourseoftheevening，asIwatched，Isawafriendofminecomeintothebox，andattheendIslippedoutintothepassagetocatchhimashecameout。
“’Whoisthewomanwiththewhitehair？’Iasked。Then，inthefragmentarystyleapprovedofbyultra-fashionableyoungmen——thisearnest-languidmodeofspeechpresentscurioussimilaritiesinalllanguages——hetoldme:’MostcharmingcoupleinLondon——awfullypretty，wasn’tshe？——hehadbeenintheGuards——attacheatViennaonce——theyadoredeachother。Whitehair，devilishqueer，wasn’tit？Suitedher，somehow。AndthenshehadbeenmarriedtoaRussian，orsomething，somewhereinthewilds，andtheirnameswere——’Butdoyouknow，“saidMarshfield，interruptinghimself，“IthinkIhadbetterletyoufindthatoutforyourselves，ifyoucare。“
StanleyJ。WeymanTheFowlinthePotAnEpisodeAdaptedfromtheMemoirsofMaximiliandeBethune，DukeofSullyWhatIamgoingtorelatemayseemtosomemerelytobecuriousandonapartywiththedivertingstoryofM。Boisrose，whichIhavesetdowninanearlierpartofmymemoirs。Butamongthecalumniesofthosewhohaveneverceasedtoattackmesincethedeathofthelateking，thestatementthatIkeptfromhismajestythingswhichshouldhavereachedhisearshasalwayshadaprominentplace，thoughathousandtimesrefutedbymyfriends，andthosewhofromanintimateacquaintancewitheventscouldjudgehowfaithfullyI
laboredtodeservetheconfidencewithwhichmymasterhonoredme。
Therefore，Itakeitinhandtoshowbyanexample，triflinginitself，thefullknowledgeofaffairswhichthekinghad，andtoprovethatinmanymatters，whichwereneverpermittedtobecomeknowntotheidlersofthecourt，hetookapersonalshare，worthyasmuchofHarounasofAlexander。
Itwasmycustom，beforeIentereduponthosenegotiationswiththePrinceofCondewhichterminatedintherecoveryoftheestateofVillebon，whereInowprincipallyreside，tospendapartoftheautumnandwinteratRosny。OntheseoccasionsIwasinthehabitofleavingPariswithaconsiderabletrainofSwiss，pages，valets，andgrooms，togetherwiththemaidsofhonorandwaitingwomenoftheduchess。WehaltedtotakedinneratPoissy，andgenerallycontrivedtoreachRosnytowardnightfall，soastosupbythelightofflambeauxinamannerenjoyableenough，thoughdevoidofthatstatewhichIhaveevermaintained，andenjoineduponmychildren，asatoncetheprivilegeandburdenofrank。
AtthetimeofwhichIamspeakingIhadformyfavoritechargerthesorrelhorsewhichtheDukeofMercoeurpresentedtomewithaviewtomygoodofficesatthetimeoftheking’sentryintoParis；
andwhichIhonestlytransferredtohismajestyinaccordancewithaprinciplelaiddowninanotherplace。Thekinginsistedonreturningittome，andforseveralyearsIrodeitontheseannualvisitstoRosny。Whatwasmoreremarkablewasthatoneachoftheseoccasionsitcastashoeaboutthemiddleoftheafternoon，andalwayswhenwewerewithinashortleagueofthevillageofAubergenville。ThoughIneverhadwithmelessthanhalfascoreofledhorses，IhadsuchanaffectionforthesorrelthatI
preferredtowaituntilitwasshod，ratherthanaccommodatemyselftoanagoflesseasypaces；andwouldallowmyhouseholdtoprecedeme，stayingbehindmyselfwithatmostaguardortwo，myvalet，andapage。
TheforgeatAubergenvillewaskeptbyasmithofsomeskill，acheerfulfellow，whomIalwaysrememberedtoreward，consideringmyownpositionratherthanhisservices，withagoldlivre。Hisjoyatreceivingwhatwastohimtheincomeofayearwasgreat，andneverfailedtoreimburseme；inadditiontowhichItooksomepleasureinunbending，andlearningfromthissimplepeasantandloyalman，whatthetaxpayersweresayingofmeandmyreforms——adutyIalwaysfeltIowedtothekingmymaster。
AsamanofbreedingitwouldillbecomemetosetdownthehomelytruthsIthuslearned。Theconversationsofthevulgararelittlesuitedtoanobleman’smemoirs；butinthisIdistinguishbetweentheDukeofSullyandtheking’sminister，anditisinthelattercapacitythatIrelatewhatpassedonthesedivertingoccasions。
“Ho，Simon，“Iwouldsay，encouragingthepoormanashecamebowingandtremblingbeforeme，“howgoesit，myfriend？“
“Badly，“hewouldanswer，“verybadlyuntilyourlordshipcamethisway。“
“Andhowisthat，littleman？“
“Oh，itistheroads，“healwaysreplied，shakinghisbaldheadashebegantosetabouthisbusiness。“Theroadssinceyourlordshipbecamesurveyor-generalaresogoodthatnotonehorseinahundredcastsashoe；andthentherearesofewhighwaymennowthatnotonerobber’splatesdoIreplaceinatwelvemonth。Thereiswhereitis。“
AtthisIwashighlydelighted。
“Still，sinceIbegantopassthiswaytimeshavenotbeensobadwithyou，Simon，“Iwouldanswer。
Theretohehadoneinvariablereply。