t the other
end, I put my lips to the key-hole, and conjured Eugene, for the sake of
all that was good, to be still; for that I was certain it would not only
be his death, but my mistress's too, if he were discovered; and he
promised me he would. I had scarcely got upon my feet again, and turned
to open a drawer, when I heard the count's foot in the _salon_. 'The
countess is oppressed with the heat,' said he, 'and wants the large
green fan: she says you'll find it in one of the shelves in the closet.'

"Only think, madame! only think!" said Rosina, turning her wrinkled face
toward me, and actually shaking all over with the recollection of her
terror. "I thought I should have sank into the earth! I stood for a
moment aghast, and then I began to fumble in my pocket. 'Where can the
key be?' said I, pretending to search for it; but my countenance
betrayed me, and my voice shook so, that he read me like a book. I am
sure he knew the truth from that moment. He looked hard at me, while his
face became quite livid; and then he said, in a calm, deep voice: 'For
the fan, no matter; I'll take another; but I see you are ill: you have
caught Philippe's fever; you must go to bed directly. Come with me, and
I'll lead you to your room.' 'I am not ill, Monsieur le Conte,' I
stammered out; but taking no notice of what I said, he grasped my arm
with his powerful hand, and dragged me away up-stairs; I say dragged,
for I had scarcely strength to move my feet, and it was rather dragging
than leading. As soon as he had thrust me into the room, he said in a
significant tone: 'Remember, you are in danger! Unless you are very
prudent, this fever will be fatal. Go to bed, and keep quite still till
I come to see you again, or you may not survive till morning!' With that
he closed the door and locked it; and I heard him take out the key, and
descend the stairs. Then I suppose I swooned; for when I came to myself
it was nearly dark, I was lying on the floor, and could not at first
remember what had happened. When my recollection returned, I crawled to
the bed, and burying my face in the pillows, I gave vent to my anguish
in sobs and tears; for I loved my mistress, madame, and I loved M.
Eugene, and I knew there would be deadly mischief among them. I expected
that the count would break open the closet, and that one or both would
be killed; and considering the state she was in, I did not doubt that
the grief and fright would kill the countess also. You