“You had a severe attack of fever last evening, and it lasted part of the night. It was the effect of the great heat. You never think of putting on your hat when you go in the garden. Yet madame votre mère gave you so many cautions about it.”
Zéphyrine entered, asked about me with much interest and made me promise to take another spoonful of my soothing potion.
“Very well,” said I, although I had no recollection of this potion, “a sick guest is an inconvenience and all I ask is to get well quickly.”
The potion really did me a great deal of good, for I again fell asleep and dreamed of my immortal nymph. When I opened my eyes, I saw an apparition at the foot of my bed, which would have charmed me two nights ago, but which now vexed me like an importunate reproach. It was Madame d’Ionis, who came herself to see how I was, and to give her personal supervision to the efforts made in my behalf. She was very friendly, and showed real interest in me. I thanked her to the best of my ability and assured her that I was very well.
Upon this, appeared the solemn head of a physician, who examined my pulse and my tongue, prescribed rest, and said to Madame d’Ionis:
“It is nothing. Keep him from reading, writing and talking until to-morrow and he will then be able to return to his family.”
Left alone with Baptiste, I questioned him.
“Mon Dieu, Monsieur,” said he, “I don’t exactly know what to say. It seems that the room where you were is considered haunted.”
“The room where I was? Where then am I now?”
I looked around me and recovering from my stupor I at last recognized that I was not in “la chambre aux dames,” but in another apartment of the chateau.