then to the one-eyed Hans, "Hast no tongue, fool, that thou
standest gaping there like a fish? Answer me, where is thy
mistress?"

"I - I do not know," stammered poor Hans.

For a while the Baron lay silently looking from one face to the
other, then he spoke again. "How long have I been lying here?"
said he.

"A sennight, my lord," said Master Rudolph, the steward, who had
come into the room and who now stood among the others at the
bedside.

"A sennight," repeated the Baron, in a low voice, and then to
Master Rudolph, "And has the Baroness been often beside me in
that time?" Master Rudolph hesitated. "Answer me," said the
Baron, harshly.

"Not - not often," said Master Rudolph, hesitatingly.

The Baron lay silent for a long time. At last he passed his
hands over his face and held them there for a minute, then of a
sudden, before anyone knew what he was about to do, he rose upon
his elbow and then sat upright upon the bed. The green wound
broke out afresh and a dark red spot grew and spread upon the
linen wrappings; his face was drawn and haggard with the pain of
his moving, and his eyes wild and bloodshot. Great drops of
sweat gathered and stood upon his forehead as he sat there
swaying slightly from side to side.