er hands, moistening her temples with aromatic vinegar and cologne,
and holding bottles of salts persistently to her nostrils.

Still all efforts to bring her to remained sterile; and this was so
extraordinary, that even Count Ville-Handry began to be moved, although
at first he had been heard to exclaim,--

"Pshaw! Leave her alone. It is nothing."

The mad passion of senile love had not yet entirely extinguished in him
the instincts of a father; and anxiety rekindled the affection he had
formerly felt for his child. He rushed, therefore, to the vestibule,
calling out to the servants who were there on duty,--

"Quick! Let some one run for the doctor; never mind which,--the
nearest!"

This acted as a signal for the guests to scatter at once. Finding
that this fainting-fit lasted too long, and fearing perhaps a fatal
termination, a painful scene, and tears, they slyly slipped out, one by
one, and escaped.

In this way the countess, Mrs. Brian, M. Elgin, and the unhappy father
found themselves soon once more alone with poor Henrietta, who was still
unconscious.

"We ought not to leave her here," said Countess Sarah; "she will be
better in her bed."

"Yes, that is true, you are right!" replied the count. "I shall have her
carried to her room."

And he was stretching out his hand to pull the bell, when Sir Thorn
stopped him, saying in a voice of deep emotion,--

"Never mind, count. I'll carry her myself."

And, without waiting for an answer, he took her up like a feather, and
carried her to her room, followed by Count Ville-Handry, and his young
wife. He could, of course, not remain in Henrietta's room; but it looked
as if he could not tear himself away. For some time the servants, quite
amazed, saw him walk up and down the passage with feverish steps,
and, in spite of his usual impassiveness, giving all the signs of
extraordinary excitement. Every ten minutes he paused in his walk to ask
at the door, with a voice full of anxiety,--

"Well?"

"She is still in the same condition," was the answer.

In the meantime two physicians had arrived, but without obtaining any
better results than the countess and her friends. They had exhausted
all the usual remedies for such cases, and began, evidently, to be not
a little surprised at the persistency of the symptoms. Nor could Count
Ville-Handry suppress his growing anxiety as he saw them consulting in
the recess of one of the windows, discussing more energetic means