I
am!' and he struck his cane into the ground with a violence that showed
his resolution to do what he threatened. 'Come away, for the Lord's
sake!' cried I, for the carriage was close at hand, and there was not a
moment to spare; and seizing him by the arm, I dragged him into the
house; for even now he was half inclined to wait for them, and I saw he
was burning to quarrel with the count. Well, I had but just time to lock
him into the closet, and put the key in my pocket, before they had
alighted, and were walking up the garden.

"You may conceive, madame, the state I was in when I met the count and
my lady; and my confusion was not diminished by finding that he observed
it. 'What is the matter, Rosina?' said he, 'has any thing unusual
happened?' and as he spoke, he fixed his dark, piercing eyes upon me in
such a way that I felt as if he was reading my very thoughts. I affected
to be busy about my mistress, keeping my face away from him; but I knew
he was watching me, for all that. Generally, when they came home, he
used to retire to his own apartment, and leave his wife with me; but now
he came into the _salon_, took off his hat, and sat himself down; nor
did he leave her for two minutes during the whole evening. This conduct
was so unusual, that it was plain to me he suspected something; besides,
I saw it in his countenance, though I did not know whether his
suspicions had been roused by my paleness and agitation, or whether any
thing else had awakened them; but I felt certain afterward, that he had
seen the poor young man when the carriage passed him, or at least, been
sufficiently struck with the resemblance to put the true interpretation
on my confusion. Well, madame, you may imagine what an evening I spent.
I saw clearly that he was determined not to leave me alone with his
wife; but this was not of so much consequence, since I had resolved not
to give her a hint of what had happened till the count had taken leave
of her for the night, because I knew that her agitation would have
betrayed the secret. In the mean while she suspected no mischief; for
although she observed something was wrong with me, she supposed I was
suffering in my mind about a young man I was engaged to marry, called
Philippe, who had been lately ill of a fever, and was now said to be
threatened with consumption.

"While I pretended to be busying myself in my lady's room, they went out
to take a stroll in the garden; and when I saw them safe a