llection of either the question or the answer. That, however,
accords with what I do remember to have seen just then; as it were
someone naked to the middle, but whom, however, I did not recognise.
They helped me down from the ladder. The faintness seized me again; my
head swam as I was between two rounds of the ladder, and again I
fainted. They took me down and placed me on a beam which served for a
seat in the large square of the Capuchins. I sat down on it, and then I
no longer saw M. de Sorteville nor his domestics, although present; but
perceiving Desfontaines near the foot of the ladder, who made me a sign
to come to him, I moved on my seat as if to make room for him; and those
who saw me and whom I did not see, although my eyes were open, remarked
this movement.

"As he did not come, I rose to go to him. He advanced towards me, took
my left arm with his right arm, and led me about thirty paces from
thence into a retired street, holding me still under the arm. The
domestics, supposing that my giddiness had passed off, and that I had
purposely retired, went everyone to their work, except a little servant
who went and told M. de Sorteville that I was talking all alone. M. de
Sorteville thought I was tipsy; he drew near, and heard me ask some
questions, and make some answers, which he has told me since.

"I was there nearly three-quarters of an hour, conversing with
Desfontaines. 'I promised you,' said he to me, 'that if I died before
you I would come and tell you of it. I was drowned the day before
yesterday in the river of Caen, at nearly this same hour. I was out
walking with such and such a one. It was very warm, and we had a wish to
bathe; a faintness seized me in the water, and I fell to the bottom.
The Abbe de Menil-Jean, my comrade, dived to bring me up. I seized hold
of his foot; but whether he was afraid it might be a salmon, because I
held him so fast, or that he wished to remount promptly to the surface
of the water, he shook his legs so roughly, that he gave me a violent
kick on the breast, which sent me to the bottom of the river, which is
there very deep.'

"Desfontaines related to me afterwards all that had occurred to them in
their walk, and the subjects they had conversed upon. It was in vain for
me to ask him questions--whether he was saved, whether he was damned, if
he was in purgatory, if I was in a state of grace, and if I should soon
follow him; he continued to discourse as if he had not hear