shall at least be there to kill myself if
anything happens to you."

Why I was filled with these gloomy forebodings I do not know, for I had
often seen Edmee galloping through the woods. I was in a peculiar
state; the heat of noon seemed mounting to my brain, and my nerves were
strangely excited. I had eaten no breakfast, as I had felt somewhat out
of sorts in the morning, and, to sustain myself, had swallowed several
cups of coffee mixed with rum. At first I experienced a horrible
sense of fear; then, after a few minutes, the fear gave way to an
inexpressible feeling of love and delight. The excitement of the gallop
became so intense that I imagined my only object was to pursue Edmee.
To see her flying before me, as light as her own black mare, whose feet
were speeding noiselessly over the moss, one might have taken her for a
fairy who had suddenly appeared in this lonely spot to disturb the mind
of man and lure him away to her treacherous haunts. I forgot the hunt
and everything else. I saw nothing but Edmee; then a mist fell upon
my eyes, and I could see her no more. Still, I galloped on; I was in a
state of silent frenzy, when she suddenly stopped.

"What are we doing?" she said. "I cannot hear the hunt any longer, and
here is the river in front. We have come too far to the left."

"No, no, Edmee," I answered, without knowing in the least what I was
saying. "Another gallop and we shall be there."

"How red you are!" she said. "But how shall we cross the river?"

"Since there is a road, there must be a ford," I replied. "Come on! come
on!"

I was filled with an insane desire to go on galloping, I believe my idea
was to plunge deeper and deeper into the forest with her; but this idea
was wrapped in a haze, and when I tried to pierce it, I was conscious of
nothing but a wild throbbing of my breast and temples.

Edmee made a gesture of impatience.

"These woods are accursed!" she said. "I am always losing my way in
them."

No doubt she was thinking of the fatal day when she had been carried far
from another hunt and brought to Roche-Mauprat. I thought of it too,
and the ideas that came into my mind produced a sort of dizziness. I
followed her mechanically towards the river. Suddenly I realized that
she was on the other bank. I was filled with rage on seeing that her
horse was cleverer and braver than my own. Before I could get the animal
to take the ford, which was rather a nasty one, Edmee was a long way
ah