lectioneering.

"Good morning, Counsellor," said he gayly. "What is the news to-day?"

Daumon bowed profoundly.

"Bad news, Count," answered he. "I hear that the Duke de Champdoce is
seriously indisposed."

"The Duke ill--impossible!"

"This girl has just given me the information. Tell us all about it,
Francoise."

"I heard to-day at the Chateau that the doctors had quite given him
over."

"But what is the matter with him?"

"I did not hear."

M. de Puymandour stood perfectly aghast.

"It is always the way in this world," Daumon philosophically said. "In
the midst of life we are in death!"

"Good morning, Counsellor," said De Puymandour; "I must try and find out
something more about this."

Breathless, and with his mind filled with anxiety, he hurried on.

All the servants and laborers on the Champdoce estate were gathered
together in a group, talking eagerly to each other, and as soon as M. de
Puymandour appeared, one of the servants, disengaging himself from his
fellows, came towards him. This was the Duke's old, trustworthy servant.

"Well?" exclaimed M. de Puymandour.

"Oh, sir," cried the old man, "this is too horrible; my poor master will
certainly die."

"But I do not know what is the matter with him; no one has told me
anything, in fact."

"It was terribly sudden," answered the man. "It was about this time
the day before yesterday that the Duke was alone with M. Norbert in the
dining-room. All at once we heard a great outcry. We ran in and saw
my poor master lying senseless on the ground, his face purple and
distorted."

"He must have had a fit of apoplexy."

"Not exactly; the doctor called it a rush of blood to the brain; at
least, I think that is what he said, and he added that the reason he
did not die on the spot was because in falling he had cut open his head
against the oaken sideboard, and the wound bled profusely. We carried
him up to his bed; he showed no signs of life, and now----"

"Well, how is he now?"

"No one dare give an opinion; my poor master is quite unconscious, and
should he recover--and I do not think for a moment that he will--the
doctor says his mind will have entirely gone."

"Horrible! Too horrible! And a man of such intellectual power, too. I
shall not ask you to let me look at him, for I could do no good, and the
sight would upset me. But can I not see M. Norbert?"

"Pray, do not attempt to do so, sir."

"I was his father's intimate friend, and if the