the wall, and in a second more I saw that Paul had fallen
his full length along the brink, but had saved himself, and was
scrambling to his feet. Madame Patoff stood quite still, her face rigid
and drawn, and an expression of horror in her eyes that was bad to see.
But I was not alone in coming to Paul's assistance. As I put out my arm
to help him to his feet, I saw Hermione's small hands lay hold of him
with desperate strength, dragging him from the fatal brink. But Paul was
unhurt, and was on his legs in another moment. He was ghastly white, and
his lips worked curiously as his eyes settled on his mother's face.

"How did it happen?" asked Hermione, as soon as she could speak, but
still clinging to his arm, while she glanced inquiringly at her aunt.

"I do not know," said Paul, in a thick voice, between his teeth.

"I was dizzy," gasped Madame Patoff. "I put out my hand to save
myself"----

"Do me the favor to come down from this place at once," I said, grasping
her firmly by the arm, and leading her away.

"Paul, Paul, how did it happen?" I heard Hermione saying, as we
descended.

But Paul's lips were resolutely shut, and he would say nothing more
about it. Indeed, he was badly startled, but I knew his paleness was not
caused by fear. In my own mind the conviction was strong that his mother
had deliberately attempted to murder him by pushing him over the edge. I
remembered Cutter's warning, and I wondered that he should have allowed
her to go out of his sight since he recognized the condition of her
brain, but a moment's reflection made me recollect that I had understood
him differently. He had meant that she might try to kill herself, not
her son; and that had been my own impression, for it was not till later
that I learned how she had spoken of Paul to herself, that night in
Pera, after the ball. At that time the professor knew more about the
matter than I did, for Hermione had confided in him when they were alone
in Santa Sophia.

I think Madame Patoff tried to explain the accident to me as I got her
down into the ruined court, but I do not remember what she said. My only
wish was to get the party back to Buyukdere, and to be alone with Cutter
for five minutes.

"Patoff has met with an accident," I said, as the others came up. "He
stumbled near the edge of the wall, and is badly shaken. We had better
go home."

There was very little explanation needed, and Paul protested that he had
incurred no danger,