ound that it had
fallen close to a dead, human body. Immediately the recollection of the
mad woman struck me like a blow in the chest. Many other people had
perhaps died in the wood during that disastrous year, but though I do
not know why, I was sure, sure, I tell you, that I should see the head
of that wretched maniac.

"And suddenly I understood, I guessed everything. They had abandoned
her on that mattress in the cold, deserted wood; and, faithful to her
fixed idea, she had allowed herself to perish under that thick and
light counterpane of snow, without moving either arms or legs.

"Then the wolves had devoured her, and the birds had built their nests
with the wool from her torn bed, and I took charge of her bones. I only
pray that our sons may never see any wars again."

IN VARIOUS ROLES

In the following reminiscences will frequently be mentioned a lady who
played a great part in the annals of the police from 1848 to 1866. We
will call her "Wanda von Chabert." Born in Galicia of German parents,
and carefully brought up in every way, when only sixteen she married,
from love, a rich and handsome officer of noble birth. The young
couple, however, lived beyond their means, and when the husband died
suddenly, two years after they were married, she was left anything but
well off.

As Wanda had grown accustomed to luxury and amusement, a quiet life in
her parents' house did not suit her any longer. Even while she was
still in mourning for her husband, she allowed a Hungarian magnate to
make love to her. She went off with him at a venture, and continued the
same extravagant life which she had led when her husband was alive, of
her own volition. At the end of two years, however, her lover left her
in a town in North Italy, almost without means. She was thinking of
going on the stage, when chance provided her with another resource,
which enabled her to reassert her position in society. She became a
secret police agent, and soon was one of their most valuable members.
In addition to the proverbial charm and wit of a Polish woman, she also
possessed high linguistic attainments, and spoke Polish, Russian,
French, German, English, and Italian, with almost equal fluency and
correctness. Then she had that encyclopedic polish which impresses
people much more than the most profound learning of the specialist, She
was very attractive in appearance, and she knew how to set off her good
looks by all the arts of dress and co