The time flew. But I observed - listen to this, I pray! (and here
the courier dropped his voice) - I observed my mistress sometimes
brooding in a manner very strange; in a frightened manner; in an
unhappy manner; with a cloudy, uncertain alarm upon her. I think
that I began to notice this when I was walking up hills by the
carriage side, and master had gone on in front. At any rate, I
remember that it impressed itself upon my mind one evening in the
South of France, when she called to me to call master back; and
when he came back, and walked for a long way, talking encouragingly
and affectionately to her, with his hand upon the open window, and
hers in it. Now and then, he laughed in a merry way, as if he were
bantering her out of something. By-and-by, she laughed, and then
all went well again.

It was curious. I asked la bella Carolina, the pretty little one,
Was mistress unwell? - No. - Out of spirits? - No. - Fearful of bad
roads, or brigands? - No. And what made it more mysterious was,
the pretty little one would not look at me in giving answer, but
WOULD look at the view.

But, one day she told me the secret.

'If you must know,' said Carolina, 'I find, from what I have
overheard, that mistress is haunted.'

'How haunted?'

'By a dream.'