“I thank you, sir; I thank you with all my heart. I beg to leave you at liberty again; I am going back to Soleure.” “Wait for a quarter of an hour, we are going to breakfast with Madame.” “I can’t stop a moment, I have just wished her good day, and now I must be gone. Farewell, and remember me.” “Farewell, madam.” She had hardly gone before M.---- asked me if the woman was beside herself. “One might think so, certainly,” I replied, “for she has received nothing but politeness at my hands, and I think she might have waited to go back with you in the evening.” We went to breakfast and to discuss this abrupt leave-taking, and afterwards we took a turn in the garden where we found Madame Dubois. M.---- took possession of her; and as I thought his wife looking rather downcast I asked her if she had not slept well. “I did not go to sleep till four o’clock this morning,” she replied, “after vainly sitting up in bed waiting for you till that time. What unforeseen accident prevented your coming?” I could not answer her question. I was petrified. I looked at her fixedly without replying; I could not shake off my astonishment. At last a dreadful suspicion came into my head that I had held within my arms for two hours the horrible monster whom I had foolishly received in my house. I was seized with a terrible tremor, which obliged me to go and take shelter behind the arbour and hide my emotion. I felt as though I should swoon away. I should certainly have fallen if I had not rested my head against a tree.