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 something wrong--and time will show it." I left the room. Half an hour later I started for Mr. Beldheimer's house; leaving the arrangements for the morning of the first of March in the hands of the doctor and my wife. XVI The one thing which principally struck me when I joined the guests at the "Silver Wedding" is also the one thing which it is necessary to mention here. On this joyful occasion a noticeable lady present was out of spirits. That lady was no other than the heroine of the festival, the mistress of the house! In the course of the evening I spoke to Mr. Beldheimer's eldest son on the subject of his mother. As an old friend of the family, I had a claim on his confidence which the young man willingly recognized.