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〃I looked round； with the sweat on my face； vaguely； for some human
being to share the horror of the moment； and I saw； gliding away；
far away in the white distance； the black silhouette of the
sledge。〃
〃Well？〃 said we； in divers tones of impatience； curiosity； or
horror； according to our divers temperaments； as the speaker
uncrossed his legs and gazed at us in mild triumph； with all the
air of having said his say； and satisfactorily proved his point。
〃Well；〃 repeated he； 〃what more do you want to know？ It will
interest you but slightly； I am sure； to hear how I found my way
back to the Hof； or how I told as much as I deemed prudent of the
evening's grewsome work to the baron's servants； who； by the way；
to my amazement； displayed the profoundest and most unmistakable
sorrow at the tidings； and sallied forth （at their head the Cossack
who had seen us depart） to seek for his remains。 Excuse the
unpleasantness of the remark： I fear the dogs must have left very
little of him； he had dieted them so carefully。 However； since it
was to have been a case of 'chop； crunch； and gobble；' as the baron
had it； I preferred that that particular fate should have overtaken
him rather than meor； for that matter； either of those two
country people of ours in the sledge。
〃Nor am I going to inflict upon you；〃 continued Marshfield； after
draining his glass； 〃a full account of my impressions when I found
myself once more in that immense； deserted； and stricken house； so
luxuriously prepared for the mistress who had fled from it； how I
philosophized over all this； according to my wont； the conjectures
I made as to the first acts of the drama； the untold sufferings my
countrywoman must have endured from the moment her husband first
grew jealous till she determined on this desperate step； as to how
and when she had met her lover； how they communicated； and how the
baron had discovered the intended flitting in time to concoct his
characteristic revenge。
〃One thing you may be sure of； I had no mind to remain at Yany an
hour longer than necessary。 I even contrived to get well clear of
the neighborhood before the lady's absence was discovered。 Luckily
for meor I might have been taxed with connivance； though indeed
the simple household did not seem to know what suspicion was； and
accepted my account with childlike credencevery typical； and very
convenient to me at the same time。〃
〃But how do you know；〃 said one of us； 〃that the man was her lover？
He might have been her brother or some other relative。〃
〃That；〃 said Marshfield； with his little flat laugh； 〃I happen to
have ascertainedand； curiously enough； only a few weeks ago。 It
was at the play； between the acts； from my comfortable seat （the
first row in the pit）。 I was looking leisurely round the house
when I caught sight of a woman； in a box close by； whose head was
turned from me； and who presented the somewhat unusual spectacle of
a young neck and shoulders of the most exquisite contourand
perfectly gray hair； and not dull gray； but rather of a pleasing
tint like frosted silver。 This aroused my curiosity。 I brought my
glasses to a focus on her and waited patiently till she turned
round。 Then I recognized the Baroness Kassowski； and I no longer
wondered at the young hair being white。
〃Yet she looked placid and happy； strangely so； it seemed to me；
under the sudden reviving in my memory of such scenes as I have now
described。 But presently I understood further： beside her； in
close attendance； was the man of the sledge； a handsome fellow with
much of a military air about him。
〃During the course of the evening； as I watched； I saw a friend of
mine come into the box； and at the end I slipped out into the
passage to catch him as he came out。
〃'Who is the woman with the white hair？' I asked。 Then； in the
fragmentary style approved of by ultra…fashionable young menthis
earnest…languid mode of speech presents curious similarities in all
languageshe told me： 'Most charming couple in Londonawfully
pretty； wasn't she？he had been in the Guardsattache at Vienna
oncethey adored each other。 White hair； devilish queer； wasn't
it？ Suited her； somehow。 And then she had been married to a
Russian； or something； somewhere in the wilds； and their names
were' But do you know；〃 said Marshfield； interrupting himself；
〃I think I had better let you find that out for yourselves； if you
care。〃
Stanley J。 Weyman
The Fowl in the Pot
An Episode Adapted from the Memoirs of Maximilian de Bethune； Duke
of Sully
What I am going to relate may seem to some merely to be curious and
on a party with the diverting story of M。 Boisrose； which I have
set down in an earlier part of my memoirs。 But among the calumnies
of those who have never ceased to attack me since the death of the
late king； the statement that I kept from his majesty things which
should have reached his ears has always had a prominent place；
though a thousand times refuted by my friends； and those who from
an intimate acquaintance with events could judge how faithfully I
labored to deserve the confidence with which my master honored me。
Therefore； I take it in hand to show by an example； trifling in
itself； the full knowledge of affairs which the king had； and to
prove that in many matters； which were never permitted to become
known to the idlers of the court； he took a personal share； worthy
as much of Haroun as of Alexander。
It was my custom； before I entered upon those negotiations with the
Prince of Conde which terminated in the recovery of the estate of
Villebon； where I now principally reside； to spend a part of the
autumn and winter at Rosny。 On these occasions I was in the habit
of leaving Paris with a considerable train of Swiss； pages； valets；
and grooms； together with the maids of honor and waiting women of
the duchess。 We halted to take dinner at Poissy； and generally
contrived to reach Rosny toward nightfall； so as to sup by the
light of flambeaux in a manner enjoyable enough； though devoid of
that state which I have ever maintained； and enjoined upon my
children； as at once the privilege and burden of rank。
At the time of which I am speaking I had for my favorite charger
the sorrel horse which the Duke of Mercoeur presented to me with a
view to my good offices at the time of the king's entry into Paris；
and which I honestly transferred to his majesty in accordance with
a principle laid down in another place。 The king insisted on
returning it to me； and for several years I rode it on these annual
visits to Rosny。 What was more remarkable was that on each of
these occasions it cast a shoe about the middle of the afternoon；
and always when we were within a short league of the village of
Aubergenville。 Though I never had with me less than half a score
of led horses； I had such an affection for the sorrel that I
preferred to wait until it was