she had put on a mask； which she had removed； no doubt； during our
drive； and I could see nothing but a pair of black eyes and a
pleasingly rounded figure。
〃 'The lover threw some towels over his mistress' legs and folded the
muslin veil double over her face。 As soon as I had examined the lady
with care； I perceived from certain symptoms which I had noted once
before on a very sad occasion in my life； that the infant was dead。 I
turned to the maid in order to tell her this。 Instantly the suspicious
stranger drew his dagger； but I had time to explain the matter to the
woman； who explained in a word or two to him in a low voice。 On
hearing my opinion； a quick； slight shudder ran through him from head
to foot like a lightning flash； I fancied I could see him turn pale
under his black velvet mask。
〃 'The waiting…woman took advantage of a moment when he was bending in
despair over the dying woman； who had turned blue； to point to some
glasses of lemonade standing on a table； at the same time shaking her
head negatively。 I understood that I was not to drink anything in
spite of the dreadful thirst that parched my throat。 The lover was
thirsty too； he took an empty glass； poured out some fresh lemonade；
and drank it off。
〃 'At this moment the lady had a violent attack of pain； which showed
me that now was the time to operate。 I summoned all my courage； and in
about an hour had succeeded in delivering her of the child； cutting it
up to extract it。 The Spaniard no longer thought of poisoning me；
understanding that I had saved the mother's life。 Large tears fell on
his cloak。 The woman uttered no sound； but she trembled like a hunted
animal； and was bathed in sweat。
〃 'At one horribly critical moment she pointed in the direction of her
husband's room； he had turned in his sleep； and she alone had heard
the rustle of the sheets； the creaking of the bed or of the curtain。
We all paused； and the lover and the waiting…woman； through the
eyeholes of their masks； gave each other a look that said； 〃If he
wakes； shall we kill him？〃
〃 'At that instant I put out my hand to take the glass of lemonade the
Spaniard had drunk of。 He； thinking that I was about to take one of
the full glasses； sprang forward like a cat； and laid his long dagger
over the two poisoned goblets； leaving me his own； and signing to me
to drink what was left。 So much was conveyed by this quick action； and
it was so full of good feeling； that I forgave him his atrocious
schemes for killing me； and thus burying every trace of this event。
〃 'After two hours of care and alarms； the maid and I put her mistress
to bed。 The lover； forced into so perilous an adventure； had； to
provide means in case of having to fly； a packet of diamonds stuck to
paper； these he put into my pocket without my knowing it； and I may
add parenthetically； that as I was ignorant of the Spaniard's
magnificent gift； my servant stole the jewels the day after； and went
off with a perfect fortune。
〃 'I whispered my instructions to the waiting…woman as to the further
care of her patient； and wanted to be gone。 The maid remained with her
mistress； which was not very reassuring； but I was on my guard。 The
lover made a bundle of the dead infant and the blood…stained clothes；
tying it up tightly； and hiding it under his cloak； he passed his hand
over my eyes as if to bid me to see nothing； and signed to me to take
hold of the skirt of his coat。 He went first out of the room； and I
followed； not without a parting glance at my lady of an hour。 She；
seeing the Spaniard had gone out； snatched off her mask and showed me
an exquisite face。
〃 'When I found myself in the garden； in the open air； I confess that
I breathed as if a heavy load had been lifted from my breast。 I
followed my guide at a respectful distance； watching his least
movement with keen attention。 Having reached the little door； he took
my hand and pressed a seal to my lips； set in a ring which I had seen
him wearing on a finger of his left hand； and I gave him to understand
that this significant sign would be obeyed。 In the street two horses
were waiting； we each mounted one。 My Spaniard took my bridle； held
his own between his teeth； for his right hand held the bloodstained
bundle； and we went off at lightning speed。
〃 'I could not see the smallest object by which to retrace the road we
came by。 At dawn I found myself close by my own door； and the Spaniard
fled towards the Atocha gate。'
〃 'And you saw nothing which could lead you to suspect who the woman
was whom you had attended？' the Colonel asked of the surgeon。
〃 'One thing only；' he replied。 'When I turned the unknown lady over；
I happened to remark a mole on her arm； about half…way down； as big as
a lentil； and surrounded with brown hairs。'At this instant the rash
speaker turned pale。 All our eyes； that had been fixed on his；
followed his glance； and we saw a Spaniard； whose glittering eyes
shone through a clump of orange…trees。 On finding himself the object
of our attention； the man vanished with the swiftness of a sylph。 A
young captain rushed in pursuit。
〃 'By Heaven！' cried the surgeon； 'that basilisk stare has chilled me
through； my friends。 I can hear bells ringing in my ears！ I may take
leave of you； you will bury me here！'
〃 'What a fool you are！' exclaimed Colonel Hulot。 'Falcon is on the
track of the Spaniard who was listening； and he will call him to
account。'
〃 'Well；' cried one and another； seeing the captain return quite out
of breath。
〃 'The devil's in it；' said Falcon； 'the man went through a wall； I
believe！ As I do not suppose that he is a wizard； I fancy he must
belong to the house！ He knows every corner and turning； and easily
escaped。'
〃 'I am done for；' said the surgeon； in a gloomy voice。
〃 'Come； come； keep calm； Bega；' said I （his name was Bega）； 'we will
sit on watch with you till you leave。 We will not leave you this
evening。'
〃In point of fact； three young officers who had been losing at play
went home with the surgeon to his lodgings； and one of us offered to
stay with him。
〃Within two days Bega had obtained his recall to France； he made
arrangements to travel with a lady to whom Murat had given a strong
escort； and had just finished dinner with a party of friends； when his
servant came to say that a young lady wished to speak to him。 The
surgeon and the three officers went down suspecting mischief。 The
stranger could only say； 'Be on your guard' when she dropped down
dead。 It was the waiting…woman； who； finding she had been poisoned；
had hoped to arrive in time to warn her lover。
〃 'Devil take it！' cried Captain Falcon； 'that is what I call love！ No
woman on earth but a Spaniard can run about with a dose of poison in
her inside！'
〃Bega remained strangely pensive。 To drown the dark presentiments that
haunted him； he sat down to table again； and with his companions drank
immoderately。 The whole party went early to bed； half drunk。
〃In the middle of the night the hapless Bega was aroused by the sharp
rattle of the curtain rings pulled violently along the rods。 He sat up
in bed； in the mechanical trepidation which we all feel on waking with
such a start。 He saw standing before him a Spaniard wrapped in a
cloak； who fixed on him the same burning gaze that he had seen through
the bushes。
〃Bega shouted out； 'Help； help； come at once； friends！' But the
Spaniard answered his cry of distress with a bitter laugh。'Opium
grows for all！' said he。
〃Having thus pronounced sentence as it were； the stranger pointed to
the three other men sleeping soundly； took from under his cloak the
arm of a woman； freshly amputated； and held it out to Bega； pointing
to a mole like that he had so rashly described。 'Is it the same？' he
asked。 By the light of the lantern the man had set on the bed； Bega
recognized the arm； and his speechless amazement was answer enough。
〃Without waiting for further information； the lady's husband stabbed
him to the heart。〃
〃You must tell that to the marines！〃 said Lousteau。 〃It needs their
robust faith to swallow it！ Can you tell me which told the tale； the
dead man or the Spaniard？〃
〃Monsieur；〃 replied the Receiver…General； 〃I nursed poor Bega； who
died five days after in dreadful suffering。That is not the end。
〃At the time of the expedition sent out to restore Ferdinand VII。 I
was appointed to a place in Spain； but； happily for me； I got no
further than Tours when I was promised the post of Receiver here at
Sancerre。 On the eve of setting out I was at a ball at Madame de
Listomere's； where we were to meet several Spaniards of high rank。 On
rising from the card…table； I saw a Spanish grandee； an /afrancesado/
in exile； who had been about a fortnight in Touraine。 He had arrived
very late at this ballhis first appearance in societyaccompanied
by his wife； whose right arm was perfectly motionless。 Everybody made
way in silence for this couple； whom we all watched with some
excitement。 Imagine a picture by Murillo come to life。 Under black and
hollow brows the man's eyes were like a fixed blaze； his face looked
dried up； his bald skull was red； and his frame was a terror to
behold； he was so emaciated。 His wifeno； you cannot imagine her。 Her
figure had the supple swing for which the Spaniards created the word
/meneho/； though pale； she was still beautiful； her complexion was
dazzlingly faira rare thing in a Spaniard； and her gaze； full of the
Spanish sun； fell on you like a stream of melted lead。
〃 'Madame；' said I to her； towards the end of the evening； 'what
occurrence led to the loss of your arm？'
〃 'I lost it in the war of independence；' said she。〃
〃Spain is a strange country；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye。 〃It still
shows traces of Arab manners。〃
〃Oh！〃 said the journalist； laughing； 〃the mania for cutting off arms
is an old one there。 It turns up every now and then like some of our
newspaper hoaxes； for the subject has given plots for plays on the
Spanish stage so early as 1570〃
〃Then do you think me capable of inventing such a story？〃 said
Monsieur Gravier； nettled by Lousteau's impertinent tone。
〃Quite incapable of such a thing；〃 said the journalist with gra