(He has a wooden stump, not a smart footed thing like mine, but I shall change all that now!). Antoine could not contain himself, and heaven knows what the underservants did! I told them all to run out and see what was happening, but Pierre said no, the _déjeuner_ of Monsieur must not be neglected. Time enough in the afternoon! Eleven came, and with it the oculist, and by luncheon time I had a second blue eye! But Oh! the shouting in the streets and the passionate joy in the air! The two men preened themselves upon keeping this appointment upon so great a day, and indeed my gratitude was deep. But the same gladness did not hold me as when my leg was given back to me. Everything was now swallowed up in an overwhelming suspense. What could have kept Alathea? I walked to the glass soberly when the doctors had gone, eager to get away and join the rejoicers. And what I saw startled me. How astonishing the art of these things is now! Unless I turn my glance in some impossible way I have apparently two bright blue eyes, with the same lids and lashes, the scrap of shrapnel only injured the orb itself, and did not touch the lid, fortunately, and the socket had healed up miraculously in the last month. I am not now a disgusting object. Perhaps, possibly--Yes, can I induce her to love me soon? But what is the good of it all? She has not returned, and now something must be done. But on this day of days no one could be found to attend to anything! Shops were shut, post offices did not work. The city was mad with rejoicing. At luncheon I ate,--gulped down my food. Burton's calm reassured me. "You don't think anything has happened, do you Burton?" "No, Sir Nicholas. Her Ladyship is no doubt with her family. I don't feel that anything is amiss. Her Grace returns to-morrow anyway, and we can hear for sure then. Would you not care to drive out and see the people, Sir? It is a day!" But I told him no. He must go, they all could go. I would wait in and could now attend to myself! But I knew somehow that the dear old boy would not leave me. The hours went by, the shouting grew louder, as bands passed on their way to the _Champs Elysées_ to see the cannon, which I heard were now dragged there. Burton came in from time to time to tell me the news, gathered from the _concierge_ below. I telephoned to Maurice, he was wild with delight! They were going to have a great dinner at the Ritz and then go and _farandole_ in the streets with the people, would not we (_we!_) join them! Everyone was going. Odette telephoned too, and Daisy Ryven. All were rejoicing and happy. The agony grew and grew. What if she means to leave me and has just disappeared, not telling me on purpose to punish me? At this thought I went frantically into her room again, and looked on the dressing-table. The ring cases were there in a drawer in the William and Mary looking-glass, but no rings. No, if she had not meant to return she would have left them behind her. This gave me hope.