Thus ended the tale, and for a brief space all remained silent,
while many glances stole furtively towards St. Aubyn. He sat
motionless, with bowed head and folded arms, absorbed in thought.

One by one the members of the group around us rose, knocked the
ashes from their pipes, and with a few brief words quitted the chalet.
In a few minutes there remained only our host, the two Raouls, with
their dogs, my friend, and myself. Then St. Aubyn found his voice.
He too rose, and in slow tremulous tones, addressing Theodor, asked,--

"You will have everything prepared for an expedition tomorrow, in
case--you should have anything to tell us?"

"All shall be in readiness, monsieur. Pierre (the host) will wake
you by sunrise, for with the dawn of Christmas Eve our lucid faculty
returns to us, and if we should have good news to give, the start
ought to be made early. We may have far to go, and the days are short."

He whistled to the great hounds, wished us goodnight, and the two
brothers left the house together, followed by Fritz and Bruno.

Pierre lighted a lantern, and mounting a ladder in the corner of
the room, invited us to accompany him. We clambered up this
primitive staircase with some difficulty, and presently found
ourselves in a bed-chamber not less quaint and picturesque than
the kitchen below. Our beds were both prepared in this room,
round the walls of which were piled goat's-milk cheeses, dried
herbs, sacks of meal, and other winter provender.

Outside it was a starlit night, clear, calm, and frosty, with