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him the truth。〃
I agreed to try the experiment。 Leaving the surgeon to caution
Mrs。 Fairbank on the subject of Leap Year； I went to the stables to
see Mr。 Raven。
XV
The poor fellow was full of forebodings of the fate in store for
him on the ominous first of March。 He eagerly entreated me to
order one of the men servants to sit up with him on the birthday
morning。 In granting his request； I asked him to tell me on which
day of the week his birthday fell。 He reckoned the days on his
fingers； and proved his innocence of all suspicion that it was Leap
Year； by fixing on the twenty…ninth of February； in the full
persuasion that it was the first of March。 Pledged to try the
surgeon's experiment； I left his error uncorrected； of course。 In
so doing； I took my first step blindfold toward the last act in the
drama of the Hostler's Dream。
The next day brought with it a little domestic difficulty； which
indirectly and strangely associated itself with the coming end。
My wife received a letter； inviting us to assist in celebrating the
〃Silver Wedding〃 of two worthy German neighbors of oursMr。 and
Mrs。 Beldheimer。 Mr。 Beldheimer was a large wine grower on the
banks of the Moselle。 His house was situated on the frontier line
of France and Germany； and the distance from our house was
sufficiently considerable to make it necessary for us to sleep
under our host's roof。 Under these circumstances； if we accepted
the invitation； a comparison of dates showed that we should be away
from home on the morning of the first of March。 Mrs。 Fairbank
holding to her absurd resolution to see with her own eyes what
might； or might not； happen to Francis Raven on his birthday
flatly declined to leave Maison Rouge。 〃It's easy to send an
excuse；〃 she said； in her off…hand manner。
I failed； for my part； to see any easy way out of the difficulty。
The celebration of a 〃Silver Wedding〃 in Germany is the celebration
of twenty…five years of happy married life； and the host's claim
upon the consideration of his friends on such an occasion is
something in the nature of a royal 〃command。〃 After considerable
discussion； finding my wife's obstinacy invincible； and feeling
that the absence of both of us from the festival would certainly
offend our friends； I left Mrs。 Fairbank to make her excuses for
herself； and directed her to accept the invitation so far as I was
concerned。 In so doing； I took my second step； blindfold； toward
the last act in the drama of the Hostler's Dream。
A week elapsed； the last days of February were at hand。 Another
domestic difficulty happened； and； again； this event also proved to
be strangely associated with the coming end。
My head groom at the stables was one Joseph Rigobert。 He was an
ill…conditioned fellow； inordinately vain of his personal
appearance； and by no means scrupulous in his conduct with women。
His one virtue consisted of his fondness for horses； and in the
care he took of the animals under his charge。 In a word； he was
too good a groom to be easily replaced； or he would have quitted my
service long since。 On the occasion of which I am now writing； he
was reported to me by my steward as growing idle and disorderly in
his habits。 The principal offense alleged against him was； that he
had been seen that day in the city of Metz； in the company of a
woman （supposed to be an Englishwoman）； whom he was entertaining at
a tavern； when he ought to have been on his way back to Maison
Rouge。 The man's defense was that 〃the lady〃 （as he called her）
was an English stranger； unacquainted with the ways of the place；
and that he had only shown her where she could obtain some
refreshments at her own request。 I administered the necessary
reprimand； without troubling myself to inquire further into the
matter。 In failing to do this； I took my third step； blindfold；
toward the last act in the drama of the Hostler's Dream。
On the evening of the twenty…eighth； I informed the servants at the
stables that one of them must watch through the night by the
Englishman's bedside。 Joseph Rigobert immediately volunteered for
the dutyas a means； no doubt； of winning his way back to my
favor。 I accepted his proposal。
That day the surgeon dined with us。 Toward midnight he and I left
the smoking room； and repaired to Francis Raven's bedside。
Rigobert was at his post； with no very agreeable expression on his
face。 The Frenchman and the Englishman had evidently not got on
well together so far。 Francis Raven lay helpless on his bed；
waiting silently for two in the morning and the Dream Woman。
〃I have come； Francis； to bid you good night；〃 I said； cheerfully。
〃To…morrow morning I shall look in at breakfast time； before I
leave home on a journey。〃
〃Thank you for all your kindness； sir。 You will not see me alive
to…morrow morning。 She will find me this time。 Mark my wordsshe
will find me this time。〃
〃My good fellow！ she couldn't find you in England。 How in the
world is she to find you in France？〃
〃It's borne in on my mind； sir； that she will find me here。 At two
in the morning on my birthday I shall see her again； and see her
for the last time。〃
〃Do you mean that she will kill you？〃
〃I mean that； sir； she will kill mewith the knife。〃
〃And with Rigobert in the room to protect you？〃
〃I am a doomed man。 Fifty Rigoberts couldn't protect me。〃
〃And you wanted somebody to sit up with you？〃
〃Mere weakness； sir。 I don't like to be left alone on my
deathbed。〃
I looked at the surgeon。 If he had encouraged me； I should
certainly； out of sheer compassion； have confessed to Francis Raven
the trick that we were playing him。 The surgeon held to his
experiment； the surgeon's face plainly said〃No。〃
The next day （the twenty…ninth of February） was the day of the
〃Silver Wedding。〃 The first thing in the morning； I went to
Francis Raven's room。 Rigobert met me at the door。
〃How has he passed the night？〃 I asked。
〃Saying his prayers； and looking for ghosts；〃 Rigobert answered。
〃A lunatic asylum is the only proper place for him。〃
I approached the bedside。 〃Well； Francis； here you are； safe and
sound； in spite of what you said to me last night。〃
His eyes rested on mine with a vacant； wondering look。
〃I don't understand it；〃 he said。
〃Did you see anything of your wife when the clock struck two？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Did anything happen？〃
〃Nothing happened； sir。〃
〃Doesn't THIS satisfy you that you were wrong？〃
His eyes still kept their vacant； wondering look。 He only repeated
the words he had spoken already： 〃I don't understand it。〃
I made a last attempt to cheer him。 〃Come； come； Francis！ keep a
good heart。 You will be out of bed in a fortnight。〃
He shook his head on the pillow。 〃There's something wrong；〃 he
said。 〃I don't expect you to believe me； sir。 I only say there's
so