‘〃Nevertheless；　Doctor；　my　sister　married。　He　was　ailing　at　that　time；　poor　fellow；　and　she　married　her　lover；　that　she　might　tend　and　comfort　him　in　our　cottageour　dog…hut；　as　that　man　would　call　it。　She　had　not　been　married　many　weeks；　when　that　man's　brother　saw　her　and　admired　her；　and　asked　that　man　to　lend　her　to　himfor　what　are　husbands　among　us！　He　was　willing　enough；　but　my　sister　was　good　and　virtuous；　and　hated　his　brother　with　a　hatred　as　strong　as　mine。　What　did　the　two　then；　to　persuade　her　husband　to　use　his　influence　with　her；　to　make　her　willing？〃
  ‘The　boy's　eyes；　which　had　been　fixed　on　mine；　slowly　turned　to　the　looker…on；　and　I　saw　in　the　Mo　faces　that　all　he　said　was　true。　The　two　opposing　kinds　of　pride　confronting　one　another；　I　can　see；　even　in　this　Bastille；　the　gentleman's　all　negligent　indifference；　the　peasant's；　all　trodden…down　sentiment；　and　passionate　revenge。
  ‘〃You　know；　Doctor；　that　it　is　among　the　Rights　of　these　Nobles　to　harness　us　common　dogs　to　carts；　and　drive　us。　They　so　harnessed　him　and　drove　him。　You　know　that　it　is　among　their　Rights　to　keep　us　in　their　grounds　all　night；　quieting　the　frogs；　in　order　that　their　noble　sleep　may　not　be　disturbed。　They　kept　him　out　in　the　unwholesome　mists　at　night；　and　ordered　him　back　into　his　harness　in　the　day。　But　he　was　not　persuaded。　No！　Taken　out　of　harness　one　day　at　noon；　to　feedif　he　could　find　foodhe　sobbed　twelve　times；　once　for　every　stroke　of　the　bell；　and　died　on　her　bosom。〃
  ‘Nothing　human　could　have　held　life　in　the　boy　but　his　determination　to　tell　all　his　wrong。　He　forced　back　the　gathering　shadows　of　death；　as　he　forced　his　clenched　right　hand　to　remain　clenched；　and　to　cover　his　wound。
  ‘〃Then；　with　that　man's　permission　and　even　with　his　aid；　his　brother　took　her　away；　in　spite　of　what　I　know　she　must　have　told　his　brotherand　what　that　is；　will　not　be　long　unknown　to　you；　Doctor；　if　it　is　nowhis　brother　took　her　awayfor　his　pleasure　and　diversion；　for　a　little　while。　I　saw　her　pass　me　on　the　road。　When　I　took　the　tidings　home；　our　father's　heart　burst；　he　never　spoke　one　of　the　words　that　filled　it。　I　took　my　young　sister　（for　I　have　another）　to　a　place　beyond　the　reach　of　this　man；　and　where；　at　least；　she　will　never　be　his　vassal。　Then；　I　tracked　the　brother　here；　and　last　night　climbed　in…a　common　dog；　but　sword　in　hand。Where　is　the　loft　window？　It　was　somewhere　here？〃
  ‘The　room　was　darkening　to　his　sight；　the　world　was　narrowing　around　him。　I　glanced　about　me；　and　saw　that　the　hay　and　straw　were　trampled　over　the　floor；　as　if　there　had　been　a　struggle。
  ‘〃She　heard　me；　and　ran　in。　I　told　her　not　to　come　near　us　till　he　was　dead。　He　came　in　and　first　tossed　me　some　pieces　of　money；　then　struck　at　me　with　a　whip。　But　I；　though　a　common　dog；　so　struck　at　him　as　to　make　him　draw。　Let　him　break　into　as　many　pieces　as　he　will；　the　sword　that　he　stained　with　my　common　blood；　he　drew　to　defend　himselfthrust　at　me　with　all　his　skill　for　his　life。〃
  ‘My　glance　had　fallen；　but　a　few　moments　before；　on　the　fragments　of　a　broken　sword；　lying　among　the　hay。　That　weapon　was　a　gentleman's。　In　another　place；　lay　an　old　sword　that　seemed　to　have　been　a　soldier's。
  ‘〃Now；　lift　me　up；　Doctor；　lift　me　up。　Where　is　he？〃
  ‘〃He　is　not　here；〃　I　said；　supporting　the　boy；　and　thinking　that　he　referred　to　the　brother。
  ‘〃He！　Proud　as　these　nobles　are；　he　is　afraid　to　see　me。　Where　is　the　man　who　was　here？　Turn　my　face　to　him。〃
  ‘I　did　so；　raising　the　boy's　head　against　my　knee。　But；　invested　for　the　moment　with　extraordinary　power；　he　raised　himself　completely：　obliging　me　to　rise　too；　or　I　could　not　have　still　supported　him。
  ‘〃Marquis；〃　said　the　boy；　turned　to　him　with　his　eyes　opened　wide；　and　his　right　hand　raised；　〃in　the　days　when　all　these　things　are　to　be　answered　for；　I　summon　you　and　yours；　to　the　last　of　your　bad　race；　to　answer　for　them。　I　mark　this　cross　of　blood　upon　you；　as　a　sign　that　I　do　it。　In　the　days　when　all　these　things　are　to　be　answered　for；　I　summon　your　brother；　the　worst　of　the　bad　race；　to　answer　for　them　separately。　I　mark　this　cross　of　blood　upon　him；　as　a　sign　that　I　do　it。
  ‘Twice；　he　put　his　hand　to　the　wound　in　his　breast；　and　with　forefinger　drew　a　cross　in　the　air。　He　stood　for　an　instant　with　the　finger　yet　raised；　and；　as　it　with　it；　and　I　laid　him　down　dead。　*　*　*　*
  ‘When　I　returned　to　the　bedside　of　the　young　woman；　I　found　her　raving　in　precisely　the　same　order　and　continuity。　I　knew　that　this　might　last　for　many　hours；　and　that　it　would　probably　end　in　the　silence　of　the　grave。
  ‘I　repeated　the　medicines　I　had　given　her；　and　I　sat　at　the　side　of　the　bed　until　the　night　was　far　advanced。　She　never　abated　the　piercing　quality　of　her　shrieks；　never　stumbled　in　the　distinctness　or　the　order　of　her　words。　They　were　always　〃My　husband；　my　father；　and　my　brother！　One；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six；　seven；　eight；　nine；　ten；　eleven；　twelve。　Hush！〃
  ‘This　lasted　twenty…six　hours　from　the　time　when　I　first　saw　her。　I　had　come　and　gone　twice；　and　was　again　sitting　by　her；　when　she　began　to　falter。　I　did　what　little　could　be　done　to　assist　that　opportunity；　and　by…and…by　she　sank　into　a　lethargy；　and　lay　like　the　dead。
  ‘It　was　as　if　the　wind　and　rain　had　lulled　at　last；　after　a　long　and　fearful　storm。　I　released　her　arms；　and　called　the　woman　to　assist　me　to　compose　her　figure　and　the　dress　she　had　torn。　It　was　then　that　I　knew　her　condition　to　be　that　of　one　in　whom　the　first　expectations　of　being　a　mother　have　arisen；　and　it　was　then　that　I　lost　the　little　hope　I　had　had　of　her。
  ‘〃Is　she　dead？〃　asked　the　Marquis；　whom　I　will　still　describe　as　the　elder　brother；　coming　booted　into　the　room　from　his　horse。
  ‘〃Not　dead；〃　said　I；　〃but　like　to　die。〃
  ‘〃what　strength　there　is　in　these　common　bodies！〃　he　said；　looking　down　at　her　with　some　curiosity。
  ‘〃There　is　prodigious　strength；〃　I　answered　him；　〃in　sorrow　and　despair。〃
  ‘He　first　laughed　at　my　words；　and　then　frowned　at　them。　He　moved　a　chair　with　his　foot　near　to　mine；　ordered　the　woman　away；　and　said　in　a　subdued　voice；
  ‘〃Doctor；　finding　my　brother　in　this　difficulty　with　these　hinds；　I　recommended　that　your　aid　should　be　invited。　Your　reputation　is　high；　and；　as　a　young　man　with　your　fortune　to　make；　you　are　probably　mindful　of　your　interest。　The　things　that　you　see　here；　are　things　to　be　seen；　and　not　spoken　of。〃
  ‘I　listened　to　the　patient's　breathing；　and　avoided　answering。
  ‘　〃Do　you　honour　me　with　your　attention；　Doctor？
  ‘〃Monsieur；〃　said　I；　〃in　my　profession；　the　communications　of　patients　are　always　received　in　confidence。〃　I　was　guarded　in　my　answer；　for　I　was　troubled　in　my　mind　with　what　I　had　heard　and　seen。
  ‘Her　breathing　was　so　difficult　to　trace；　that　I　carefully　tried　the　pulse　and　the　heart。　There　was　life；　and　no　more。　Looking　round　as　I　resumed　my　seat；　I　found　the　brothers　intent　upon　me。　*　*　*　*
  ‘I　write　with　so　much　difficulty；　the　cold　is　so　severe；　I　am　so　fearful　of　being　detected　and　consigned　to　an　underground　cell　and　total　darkness；　that　I　must　abridge　this　narrative。　There　is　no　confusion　or　failure　in　my　memory；　it　can　recall；　and　could　detail；　every　word　that　was　ever　spoken　between　me　and　those　brothers。
  ‘She　lingered　for　a　week。　Towards　the　last；　I　could　understand　some　few　syllables　that　she　said　to　me；　by　placing　my　ear　close　to　her　lips。　She　asked　me　where　she　was；　and　I　told　her；　who　I　was；　and　I　told　her。　It　was　in　vain　that　I　asked　her　for　her　family　name。　She　faintly　shook　her　head　upon　the　pillow；　and　kept　her　secret；　as　the　boy　had　done。
  ‘I　had　no　opportunity　of　asking　her　any　question；　until　I　had　told　the　brothers　she　was　sinking　fast；　and　could　not　live　another　day。　Until　then；　though　no　one　was　ever　presented　to　her　consciousness　save　the　woman　and　myself；　one　or　other　of　them　had　always　jealously　sat　behind　the　curtain　at　the　head　of　the　bed　when　I　was　there。　But　when　it　came　to　that；　they　seemed　careless　what　communication　I　might　hold　with　her；　as　ifthe　thought　passed　through　my　mindI　were　dying　too。
  ‘I　always　observed　that　their　pride　bitterly　resented　the　younger　brother's　（as　I　call　him）　having　crossed　swords　with　a　peasant；　and　that　peasant　a　boy。　The　only　consideration　that　appeared　to　affect　the　mind　of　either　of　them　was　the　consideration　that　this　was　highly　degrading　to　the　family；　and　was　ridiculous。　As　often　as　I　caught　the　younger　brother's　eyes；　their　expression　reminded　me　that　he　disliked　me　deeply；　fur　knowing　what　I　knew　from　the　boy。　He　was　smoother　and　more　polite　to　me　than　the　elder；　but　I　saw　this。　I　also　saw　that　I　was　an　incumbrance　in　the　mind　of　the　elder；　too。
  ‘My　patient　died；　two　hours　before　midnightat　a　time；　by　my　watch；　answering　almost　to　the　minute　when　I　had　first　seen　her。　I　was　alone　with　her；　when　her　forlorn　young　head　trooped　gently　on　one　side；　and　all　her　earthly　wrongs　and　sorrows　ended。
  ‘The　brothers　were　waiting　in　a　room　down…stairs；　impatient　to　ride　away。　I　had　heard　them；　alone　at　the　bedside；　striking　their　boots　with　their　riding…whips；　and　loitering　up　and　down。
  ‘〃At　last　she　is　dead？〃　said　the　elder；　when　I　went　in。
  ‘〃She　is　dead；〃　said　I。
  ‘〃I　congratulate　you；　my　brother；〃　were　his　words　as　he