Mistress Ulrica, however, did not permit herself to be moved by this
gentle epithet.

"Fabian," said she, shaking his shoulder roughly, "you are going to
sleep again. Quick! get up! I have had your top boots nicely greased,
and on the chair you will find your hunting coat and game-bag.
Everything is made as comfortable as possible."

"Sweet Ulgenie," expostulated Mr. Fabian.

The amiable lady smiled as she heard him speak, and had not an
unfortunate yawn accompanied those two tender words, in all probability
they would have terminated this chapter. But the word yawn is not found
in Love's dictionary, and consequently the unlucky husband was forced to
rise from his bed preparatory to going forth to perform deeds of valor
in obedience to the commands of his mistress.

"Do not neglect to awaken Gottlieb. He also must learn the noble art of
hunting."

"I will, my dear, I will," said her husband, perspiring with his
exertions, as he forced himself into his hunting garments which Mistress
Ulrica had made from a pattern of her own invention. But when Mr. Fabian
had completed his toilette, he hastened from the house, intentionally
forgetting to awaken Gottlieb, for, as we shall soon discover, he had
urgent reasons for wishing to perform his hunting exploits without the
hindrance of a companion. As Sir Fabian was, so to speak, his wife's
butler, he had provided himself with a deputy butler, who generally
received a hint of the day and the hour, when stern fate would compel