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the carriageall from various parts of Germanythree were
lifted out helpless； and were placed in the chairs on wheels to
be drawn to their lodgings in the town。 The front compartment
contained two passengers onlyMr。 Neal and his traveling
servant。 With an arm on either side to assist him； the stranger
（whose malady appeared to be locally confined to a lameness in
one of his feet） succeeded in descending the steps of the
carriage easily enough。 While he steadied himself on the pavement
by the help of his sticklooking not over…patiently toward the
musicians who were serenading him with the waltz in 〃Der
Freischutz〃his personal appearance rather damped the enthusiasm
of the friendly little circle assembled to welcome him。 He was a
lean； tall； serious； middle…aged man； with a cold gray eye and a
long upper lip； with overhanging eyebrows and high cheek…bones； a
man who looked what he wasevery inch a Scotchman。
〃Where is the proprietor of this hotel？〃 he asked； speaking in
the German language； with a fluent readiness of expression； and
an icy coldnes s of manner。 〃Fetch the doctor；〃 he continued；
when the landlord had presented himself； 〃I want to see him
immediately。〃
〃I am here already； sir；〃 said the doctor； advancing from the
circle of friends； 〃and my services are entirely at your
disposal。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Mr。 Neal； looking at the doctor； as the rest of
us look at a dog when we have whistled and the dog has come。 〃I
shall be glad to consult you to…morrow morning； at ten o'clock；
about my own case。 I only want to trouble you now with a message
which I have undertaken to deliver。 We overtook a traveling
carriage on the road here with a gentleman in itan Englishman；
I believewho appeared to be seriously ill。 A lady who was with
him begged me to see you immediately on my arrival； and to secure
your professional assistance in removing the patient from the
carriage。 Their courier has met with an accident； and has been
left behind on the road； and they are obliged to travel very
slowly。 If you are here in an hour； you will be here in time to
receive them。 That is the message。 Who is this gentleman who
appears to be anxious to speak to me？ The mayor？ If you wish to
see my passport； sir； my servant will show it to you。 No？ You
wish to welcome me to the place； and to offer your services？ I am
infinitely flattered。 If you have any authority to shorten the
performances of your town band； you would be doing me a kindness
to exert it。 My nerves are irritable； and I dislike music。 Where
is the landlord？ No； I want to see my rooms。 I don't want your
arm； I can get upstairs with the help of my stick。 Mr。 Mayor and
Mr。 Doctor； we need not detain one another any longer。 I wish you
good…night。〃
Both mayor and doctor looked after the Scotchman as he limped
upstairs； and shook their heads together in mute disapproval of
him。 The ladies； as usual； went a step further； and expressed
their opinions openly in the plainest words。 The case under
consideration （so far as _they_ were concerned） was the
scandalous case of a man who had passed them over entirely
without notice。 Mrs。 Mayor could only attribute such an outrage
to the native ferocity of a savage。 Mrs。 Doctor took a stronger
view still； and considered it as proceeding from the inbred
brutality of a hog。
The hour of waiting for the traveling…carriage wore on； and the
creeping night stole up the hillsides softly。 One by one the
stars appeared； and the first lights twinkled in the windows of
the inn。 As the darkness came； the last idlers deserted the
square； as the darkness came； the mighty silence of the forest
above flowed in on the valley； and strangely and suddenly hushed
the lonely little town。
The hour of waiting wore out； and the figure of the doctor；
walking backward and forward anxiously； was still the only living
figure left in the square。 Five minutes； ten minutes； twenty
minutes； were counted out by the doctor's watch； before the first
sound came through the night silence to warn him of the
approaching carriage。 Slowly it emerged into the square； at the
walking pace of the horses； and drew up； as a hearse might have
drawn up； at the door of the inn。
〃Is the doctor here？〃 asked a woman's voice； speaking； out of the
darkness of the carriage； in the French language。
〃I am here； madam；〃 replied the doctor； taking a light from the
landlord's hand and opening the carriage door。
The first face that the light fell on was the face of the lady
who had just spokena young； darkly beautiful woman； with the
tears standing thick and bright in her eager black eyes。 The
second face revealed was the face of a shriveled old negress；
sitting opposite the lady on the back seat。 The third was the
face of a little sleeping child in the negress's lap。 With a
quick gesture of impatience； the lady signed to the nurse to
leave the carriage first with the child。 〃Pray take them out of
the way；〃 she said to the landlady； 〃pray take them to their
room。〃 She got out herself when her request had been complied
with。 Then the light fell clear for the first time on the further
side of the carriage； and the fourth traveler was disclosed to
view。
He lay helpless on a mattress； supported by a stretcher； his
hair； long and disordered； under a black skull…cap； his eyes wide
open； rolling to and fro ceaselessly anxious； the rest of his
face as void of all expression of the character within him； and
the thought within him； as if he had been dead。 There was no
looking at him now； and guessing what he might once have been。
The leaden blank of his face met every question as to his age；
his rank； his temper； and his looks which that face might once
have answered； in impenetrable silence。 Nothing spoke for him now
but the shock that had struck him with the death…in…life of
paralysis。 The doctor's eye questioned his lower limbs； and
Death…in…Life answered； _I am here。_ The doctor's eye； rising
attentively by way of his hands and arms； questioned upward and
upward to the muscles round his mouth； and Death…in…Life
answered； _I am coming。_
In the face of a calamity so unsparing and so dreadful； there was
nothing to be said。 The silent sympathy of help was all that
could be offered to the woman who stood weeping at the carriage
door。
As they bore him on his bed across the hall of the hotel； his
wandering eyes encountered the face of his wife。 They rested on
her for a moment； and in that moment he spoke。
〃The child？〃 he said in English； with a slow； thick； laboring
articulation。
〃The child is safe upstairs；〃 she answered； faintly。
〃My desk？〃
〃It is in my hands。 Look！ I won't trust it to anybody； I am
taking care of it for you myself。〃
He closed his eyes for the first time after that answer； and said
no more。 Tenderly and skillfully he was carried up the stairs；
with his wife on one side of him； and the doctor （ominously
silent） on the other。 The landlord and the servants following saw
the door of his room open and close on him； heard the lady burst
out crying hysterically as soon as she was alone with the doctor
and the sick man； saw the doctor come out； half an hour later；
with his rudd