nd affection. While so doing, the
lame Jacques happened to come down the stairs and saw me leave my
wife's room after I played her this trick. But the blockhead passed
quickly and saluted me."

"What trick do you mean? You talk so confusedly. Drink! here is to
your health."

"And to yours, Colas! You have acquitted yourself well. You are a
capital fellow. I lay you would not have made an address half so good
before the court against my wife, had you known that I myself mixed the
poison with the essence, though it was only a small quantity."

"No! certainly not, dear Bertollon."

"Therefore it was wise on my part not to tell you before; now it can do
no harm."

"Why you were not fool enough to wish to poison yourself?"

"As to that I knew very well that I was in no great danger. I was only
astonished to find poison in my wife's possession. She had labelled
it. But what do you think she intended to do with it?"

"Why, that is an enigma."

"But it was a deep trick, Colas, was it not? The following morning I
pretended giddiness, sent for my wife, who brought me the essence
herself as usual. The physician was also sent for, and an antidote was
applied, but I had only mixed in a small quantity of the poison."

"But Bertollon, what are you talking about? Your wife after all then
is quite innocent?"

"That is the joke in the affair. And you have pleaded your throat sore
for nothing. But drink; this will cure it. Confess now, was it not a
bold stroke of mine? My wife must think she is quite bewitched, for
she does not know that I have the best of picklocks in the world for
all her drawers."

"But--" said I, becoming suddenly sober with horror.

"Let no one hear any thing of this; you, Colas, are my only confidant.
You must know that the affair might have terminated badly after all, as
in my haste I upset a phial containing a red liquid in the
medicine-chest, and forgot to replace it. But, to cut the matter
short, Colas, I am happy. You shall be so too. I swear to you that
the day on which I marry Julia, you shall celebrate your nuptials with
Clementine. But what is the matter with you? Actually you are
fainting. There--drink some water. The champagne does not agree with
you."

He supported me with one arm, while offering me the glass with the
other, which I pushed back shuddering. I was stunned by what I had
heard.

"Go to bed," he said.

I left him, while he staggered after me, laug