t, or the
tender, pitiful, heart-breaking solicitude with which they cherish the
poor shadow that remains.

In a large airy apartment of the chalet on the woody knoll, there is one
who occupies a still lower level than those to whom we have just
referred--who cannot yet use the crutch or sit in the wheelchair, and on
whose ear the sounds of glee that enter by the open window fall with
little effect.

He reclines at full length on a bed. He has lain thus, with little
effort to move, and much pain when such effort was made, for many weary
weeks. Only one side of his face is visible, and that is scarred and
torn with wounds, some of which are not yet healed. The other side is
covered with bandages.

I am seated by his side, Ivanka is sitting opposite, near to the
invalid's feet, listening intently, if I may be allowed to say so, with
her large black eyes, to a conversation which she cannot understand.

"You must not take so gloomy a view of your case, Nicholas. The doctors
say you will recover, and, my good fellow, you have no idea what can be
done by surgery in the way of putting a man together again after a
break-down. Bella would be grieved beyond measure if I were to write as
you wish."

I spoke cheerily, more because I felt it to be a duty to do so, than
because I had much hope.

The invalid paused for a few minutes as if to recover strength. Then he
said--

"Jeff, I insist on your doing what I wish. It is unkind of you to drag
me into a dispute when I am so weak. Tell the dear girl that I give her
up--I release her from our engagement. It is likely that I shall die at
any rate, which will settle the question, but if I do recover--why, just
think, my dear fellow, I put it to you, what sort of husband should I
make, with my ribs all smashed, my right leg cut off, my left hand
destroyed, an eye gone, and my whole visage cut to pieces. No, Jeff--"

He paused; the light vein of humour which he had tried to assume passed
off, and there was a twitching about the muscles of his mouth as he
resumed--

"No, Bella must never see me again."

Ivanka looked from the invalid's face to mine with eyes so earnest,
piercing, and inquiring, that I felt grieved she did not understand us.

"I'm sorry, Nicholas, very sorry," said I, "but Bella has already been
written to, and will certainly be here in a day or two. I could not
know your state of mind on my first arrival, and, acting as I fancied
for the best, I wr