of perfect equality. From that day forth they
never sat at any table but our own. Some persons had the bad taste to
express astonishment at this; we let them talk. There are circumstances
that obliterate all distinctions, real or imaginary, of rank and
education.

We paid a visit to Switzerland. Arthur considered this was essential
to the complete restoration of Edmee's health. The delicate, thoughtful
attentions of this devoted friend, and the loving efforts we made to
minister to her happiness, combined into the beautiful spectacle of the
mountains to drive away her melancholy and efface the recollection of
the troublous times through which we had just passed. On Patience's
poetic nature Switzerland had quite a magic effect. He would frequently
fall into such a state of ecstasy that we were entranced and terrified
at the same time. He felt strongly tempted to build himself a chalet
in the heart of some valley and spend the rest of his life there in
contemplation of Nature; but his affection for us made him abandon this
project. As for Marcasse, he declared subsequently that, despite all the
pleasure he had derived from our society, he looked upon this visit
as the most unlucky event of his life. At the inn at Martigny, on our
return journey, Blaireau, whose digestion had been impaired by age,
fell a victim to the excess of hospitality shown him in the kitchen. The
sergeant said not a word, but gazed on him awhile with heavy eye, and
then went and buried him under the most beautiful rose-tree in the
garden; nor did he speak of his loss until more than a year later.

During our journey Edmee was for me a veritable angel of kindness and
tender thought; abandoning herself henceforth to all the inspirations of
her heart, and no longer feeling any distrust of me, or perhaps thinking
that I deserved some compensation for all my sufferings, she repeatedly
confirmed the celestial assurances of love which she had given in
public, when she lifted up her voice to proclaim my innocence. A few
reservations that had struck me in her evidence, and a recollection of
the damning words that had fallen from her lips when Patience found her
shot, continued, I must confess, to cause me pain for some time longer.
I thought, rightly perhaps, that Edmee had made a great effort to
believe in my innocence before Patience had given his evidence. But on
this point she always spoke most unwillingly and with a certain amount
of reserve. However, o