ItmayhavebeenalittleoveranhourbeforeI
reachedMeiringen。OldSteilerwasstandingattheporchofhishotel。”Well，”saidI，asIcamehurryingup，”Itrustthatsheisnoworse?”
alookofsurprisepassedoverhisface，andatthefirstquiverofhiseyebrowsmyheartturnedtoleadinmybreast。”Youdidnotwritethis?”Isaid，pullingtheletterfrommypocket。”ThereisnosickEnglishwomaninthehotel?””Certainlynot！”hecried。”Butithasthehotelmarkuponit！Ha，itmusthavebeenwrittenbythattallEnglishmanwhocameinafteryouhadgone。Hesaid——”
butIwaitedfornoneofthelandlord’sexplanations。
InatingleoffearIwasalreadyrunningdownthevillagestreet，andmakingforthepathwhichIhadsolatelydescended。Ithadtakenmeanhourtocomedown。ForallmyeffortstwomorehadpassedbeforeI