Iwaitedinthehousetillthetownwasastirfortheday，andthenIwenttoconsultalawyer。Intheconfusedstateofmymindatthetime，IhadoneclearnotionofwhatImeanttodo:Iwasdeterminedtosellmyhouseandleavetheneighborhood。TherewereobstaclesinthewaywhichIhadnotcountedon。IwastoldIhadcreditorstosatisfybeforeIcouldleave——I，whohadgivenmywifethemoneytopaymybillsregularlyeveryweek！InquiryshowedthatshehadembezzledeveryfarthingofthemoneyIhadintrustedtoher。Ihadnochoicebuttopayoveragain。
　　Placedinthisawkwardposition，myfirstdutywastosetthingsright，withthehelpofmylawyer。DuringmyforcedsojourninthetownIdidtwofoolishthings。And，asaconsequencethatfollowed，Iheardoncemore，andheardforthelasttime，ofmywife。
　　Inthefirstplace，havinggotpossessionoftheknife，Iwasrashenoughtokeepitinmypocket。Inthesecondplace，havingsomethingofimportancetosaytomylawyer，atalatehouroftheevening，Iwenttohishouseafterdark——aloneandonfoot。Igottheresafelyenough。Returning，Iwasseizedonfrombehindbytwomen，draggeddownapassageandrobbed——notonlyofthelittlemoneyIhadaboutme，butalsooftheknife。Itwasthelawyer’sopinionasitwasminethatthethieveswereamongthedisreputableacquaintancesformedbymywife，andthatthey，hadattackedmeatherinstigation。ToconfirmthisviewIreceivedaletterthenextday，withoutdateoraddress，writteninAlicia’shand。Thefirstlineinformedmethattheknifewasbackagaininherpossession。ThesecondlineremindedmeofthedaywhenI
　　struckher。Thethirdlinewarnedmethatshewouldwashoutthestainofthatblowinmyblood，andrepeatedthewords，“Ishalldoitwiththeknife！“
　　Thesethingshappenedayearago。Thelawlaidhandsonthemenwhohadrobbedme；butfromthattimetothis，thelawhasfailedcompletelytofindatraceofmywife。
　　Mystoryistold。WhenIhadpaidthecreditorsandpaidthelegalexpenses，Ihadbarelyfivepoundsleftoutofthesaleofmyhouse；andIhadtheworldtobeginoveragain。Somemonthssince——
　　driftinghereandthere——IfoundmywaytoUnderbridge。Thelandlordoftheinnhadknownsomethingofmyfather’sfamilyintimespast。Hegavemeallhehadtogivemyfood，andshelterintheyard。Exceptonmarketdays，thereisnothingtodo。Inthecomingwintertheinnistobeshutup，andIshallhavetoshiftformyself。MyoldmasterwouldhelpmeifIappliedtohim——
　　butIdon’tliketoapply:hehasdonemoreformealreadythanI
　　deserve。Besides，inanotheryearwhoknowsbutmytroublesmayallbeatanend？Nextwinterwillbringmenightomynextbirthday，andmynextbirthdaymaybethedayofmydeath。Yes！
　　it’strueIsatupalllastnight；andIheardtwointhemorningstrike:andnothinghappened。Still，allowingforthat，thetimetocomeisatimeIdon’ttrust。Mywifehasgottheknife——mywifeislookingforme。Iamabovesuperstition，mind！Idon’tsayIbelieveindreams；Ionlysay，AliciaWarlockislookingforme。ItispossibleImaybewrong。ItispossibleImayberight。
　　Whocantell？
　　WetookleaveofFrancisRavenatthedoorofFarleighHall，withtheunderstandingthathemightexpecttohearfromusagain。
　　ThesamenightMrs。FairbankandIhadadiscussioninthesanctuaryofourownroom。Thetopicwas“TheHostler’sStory“；
　　andthequestionindisputebetweenusturnedonthemeasureofcharitabledutythatweowedtothehostlerhimself。
　　TheviewItookoftheman’snarrativewasofthepurelymatter-of-
　　factkind。FrancisRavenhad，inmyopinion，broodedoverthemistyconnectionbetweenhisstrangedreamandhisvilewife，untilhismindwasinastateofpartialdelusiononthatsubject。Iwasquitewillingtohelphimwithatrifleofmoney，andtorecommendhimtothekindnessofmylawyer，ifhewasreallyinanydangerandwantedadvice。Theremyideaofmydutytowardthisafflictedpersonbeganandended。
　　Confrontedwiththissensibleviewofthematter，Mrs。Fairbank’sromantictemperamentrushed，asusual，intoextremes。“IshouldnomorethinkoflosingsightofFrancisRavenwhenhisnextbirthdaycomesround，“saysmywife，“thanIshouldthinkoflayingdownagoodstorywiththelastchaptersunread。Iampositivelydetermined，Percy，totakehimbackwithuswhenwereturntoFrance，inthecapacityofgroom。Whatdoesonemanmoreorlessamongthehorsesmattertopeopleasrichasweare？“Inthisstrainthepartnerofmyjoysandsorrowsranon，perfectlyimpenetrabletoeverythingthatIcouldsayonthesideofcommonsense。NeedItellmymarriedbrethrenhowitended？OfcourseI
　　allowedmywifetoirritateme，andspoketohersharply。
　　Ofcoursemywifeturnedherfaceawayindignantlyontheconjugalpillow，andburstintotears。Ofcourseuponthat，“Mr。“madehisexcuses，and“Mrs。“hadherownway。
　　BeforetheweekwasoutwerodeovertoUnderbridge，anddulyofferedtoFrancisRavenaplaceinourserviceassupernumerarygroom。
　　Atfirstthepoorfellowseemedhardlyabletorealizehisownextraordinarygoodfortune。Recoveringhimself，heexpressedhisgratitudemodestlyandbecomingly。Mrs。Fairbank’sreadysympathiesoverflowed，asusual，atherlips。ShetalkedtohimaboutourhomeinFrance，asiftheworn，gray-headedhostlerhadbeenachild。“Suchadearoldhouse，Francis；andsuchprettygardens！Stables！Stablestentimesasbigasyourstableshere——
　　quiteachoiceofroomsforyou。Youmustlearnthenameofourhouse——MaisonRouge。OurnearesttownisMetz。WearewithinawalkofthebeautifulRiverMoselle。Andwhenwewantachangewehaveonlytotaketherailwaytothefrontier，andfindourselvesinGermany。“
　　Listening，sofar，withaverybewilderedface，Francisstartedandchangedcolorwhenmywifereachedtheendofherlastsentence。
　　“Germany？“herepeated。
　　“Yes。DoesGermanyremindyouofanything？“
　　Thehostler’seyeslookeddownsadlyontheground。“Germanyremindsmeofmywife，“hereplied。
　　“Indeed！How？“
　　“SheoncetoldmeshehadlivedinGermany——longbeforeIknewher——
　　inthetimewhenshewasayounggirl。“
　　“Wasshelivingwithrelationsorfriends？“
　　“Shewaslivingasgovernessinaforeignfamily。“
　　“InwhatpartofGermany？“
　　“Idon’tremember，ma’am。Idoubtifshetoldme。“
　　“Didshetellyouthenameofthefamily？“
　　“Yes，ma’am。Itwasaforeignname，andithasslippedmymemorylongsince。Theheadofthefamilywasawinegrowerinalargewayofbusiness——Irememberthat。“
　　“Didyouhearwhatsortofwinehegrew？Therearewinegrowersinourneighborhood。WasitMosellewine？“
　　“Icouldn’tsay，ma’am，IdoubtifIeverheard。“
　　Theretheconversationdropped。WeengagedtocommunicatewithFrancisRavenbeforeweleftEngland，andtookourleave。IhadmadearrangementstopayourroundofvisitstoEnglishfriends，andtoreturntoMaisonRougeinthesummer。Ontheeveofdeparture，certaindifficultiesinconnectionwiththemanagementofsomelandedpropertyofmineinIrelandobligedustoalterourplans。InsteadofgettingbacktoourhouseinFranceintheSummer，weonlyreturnedaweekortwobeforeChristmas。FrancisRavenaccompaniedus，andwasdulyestablished，inthenominalcapacityofstablekeeper，amongtheservantsatMaisonRouge。
　　Beforelong，someoftheobjectionstotakinghimintoouremployment，whichIhadforeseenandhadvainlymentionedtomywife，forcedthemselvesonourattentioninnoveryagreeableform。
　　FrancisRavenfailedasIhadfearedhewouldtogetonsmoothlywithhisfellow-servants。TheywereallFrench；andnotoneofthemunderstoodEnglish。Francis，onhisside，wasequallyignorantofFrench。Hisreservedmanners，hismelancholytemperament，hissolitaryways——alltoldagainsthim。Ourservantscalledhim“theEnglishBear。“Hegrewwidelyknownintheneighborhoodunderhisnickname。Quarrelstookplace，endingonceortwiceinblows。Itbecameplain，eventoMrs。Fairbankherself，thatsomewisechangemustbemade。Whilewewerestillconsideringwhatthechangewastobe，theunfortunatehostlerwasthrownonourhandsforsometimetocomebyanaccidentinthestables。Stillpursuedbyhisproverbialill-luck，thepoorwretch’slegwasbrokenbyakickfromahorse。
　　Hewasattendedtobyourownsurgeon，inhiscomfortablebedroomatthestables。Asthedateofhisbirthdaydrewnear，hewasstillconfinedtohisbed。
　　Physicallyspeaking，hewasdoingverywell。Morallyspeaking，thesurgeonwasnotsatisfied。FrancisRavenwassufferingundersomemysteriousmentaldisturbance，whichinterferedseriouslywithhisrestatnight。Hearingthis，Ithoughtitmydutytotellthemedicalattendantwhatwaspreyingonthepatient’smind。Asapracticalman，hesharedmyopinionthatthehostlerwasinastateofdelusiononthesubjectofhisWifeandhisDream。“Curabledelusion，inmyopinion，“thesurgeonadded，“iftheexperimentcouldbefairlytried。“
　　“Howcanitbetried？“Iasked。Insteadofreplying，thesurgeonputaquestiontome，onhisside。
　　“Doyouhappentoknow，“hesaid，“thatthisyearisLeapYear？“
　　“Mrs。Fairbankremindedmeofityesterday，“Ianswered。
　　“OtherwiseImightNOThaveknownit。“
　　“DoyouthinkFrancisRavenknowsthatthisyearisLeapYear？“
　　Ibegantoseedimlywhatmyfriendwasdrivingat。
　　“Itdepends，“Ianswered，“onwhetherhehasgotanEnglishalmanac。SupposehehasNOTgotthealmanac——whatthen？“
　　“Inthatcase，“pursuedthesurgeon，“FrancisRavenisinnocentofallsuspicionthatthereisatwenty-ninthdayinFebruarythisyear。Asanecessaryconsequence——whatwillhedo？HewillanticipatetheappearanceoftheWomanwiththeKnife，attwointhemorningofthetwenty-ninthofFebruary，insteadofthefirstofMarch。Lethimsufferallhissuperstitiousterrorsonthewrongday。Leavehim，onthedaythatisreallyhisbirthday，topassaperfectlyquietnight，andtobeassoundasleepasotherpeopleattwointhemorning。Andthen，whenhewakescomfortablyintimeforhisbreakfast，shamehimoutofhisdelusionbytellinghimthetruth。“
　　Iagreedtotrytheexperiment。LeavingthesurgeontocautionMrs。FairbankonthesubjectofLeapYear，IwenttothestablestoseeMr。Raven。
　　XV
　　ThepoorfellowwasfullofforebodingsofthefateinstoreforhimontheominousfirstofMarch。Heeagerlyentreatedmetoorderoneofthemenservantstositupwithhimonthebirthdaymorning。Ingrantinghisrequest，Iaskedhimtotellmeonwhichdayoftheweekhisbirthdayfell。Hereckonedthedaysonhisfingers；andprovedhisinnocenceofallsuspicionthatitwasLeapYear，byfixingonthetwenty-ninthofFebruary，inthefullpersuasionthatitwasthefirstofMarch。Pledgedtotrythesurgeon’sexperiment，Ilefthiserroruncorrected，ofcourse。Insodoing，ItookmyfirststepblindfoldtowardthelastactinthedramaoftheHostler’sDream。
　　Thenextdaybroughtwithitalittledomesticdifficulty，whichindirectlyandstrangelyassociateditselfwiththecomingend。
　　Mywifereceivedaletter，invitingustoassistincelebratingthe“SilverWedding“oftwoworthyGermanneighborsofours——Mr。andMrs。Beldheimer。Mr。BeldheimerwasalargewinegroweronthebanksoftheMoselle。HishousewassituatedonthefrontierlineofFranceandGermany；andthedistancefromourhousewassufficientlyconsiderabletomakeitnecessaryforustosleepunderourhost’sroof。Underthesecircumstances，ifweacceptedtheinvitation，acomparisonofdatesshowedthatweshouldbeawayfromhomeonthemorningofthefirstofMarch。Mrs。Fairbank——
　　holdingtoherabsurdresolutiontoseewithherowneyeswhatmight，ormightnot，happentoFrancisRavenonhisbirthday——
　　flatlydeclinedtoleaveMaisonRouge。“It’seasytosendanexcuse，“shesaid，inheroff-handmanner。
　　Ifailed，formypart，toseeanyeasywayoutofthedifficulty。
　　Thecelebrationofa“SilverWedding“inGermanyisthecelebrationoftwenty-fiveyearsofhappymarriedlife；andthehost’sclaimupontheconsiderationofhisfriendsonsuchanoccasionissomethinginthenatureofaroyal“command。“Afterconsiderablediscussion，findingmywife’sobstinacyinvincible，andfeelingthattheabsenceofbothofusfromthefestivalwouldcertainlyoffendourfriends，IleftMrs。Fairbanktomakeherexcusesforherself，anddirectedhertoaccepttheinvitationsofarasIwasconcerned。Insodoing，Itookmysecondstep，blindfold，towardthelastactinthedramaoftheHostler’sDream。
　　Aweekelapsed；thelastdaysofFebruarywereathand。Anotherdomesticdifficultyhappened；and，again，thiseventalsoprovedtobestrangelyassociatedwiththecomingend。
　　MyheadgroomatthestableswasoneJosephRigobert。Hewasanill-conditionedfellow，inordinatelyvainofhispersonalappearance，andbynomeansscrupulousinhisconductwithwomen。