Chap. VI. 



AND ITS EFFECTS. 



101 



was still. Up to this point I had been rather 

 amused than otherwise, but, as she lay perfectly 

 still and foamed at the mouth, I became alarmed. 

 The poor men had been standing all this time, 

 hanging their heads, and looking as sheepish as 

 possible. I now looked round to see what effect 

 this state of things had on them. They both 

 shrugged their shoulders, laughed, and went on 

 with their work. About a quarter of an hour 

 afterwards I came back to the spot to see how 

 matters stood — she was still lying on the ground, 

 but apparently recovering. I raised her, and 

 begged her to sit up, which she did with a melan- 

 choly shake of the head ; but she either could not 

 or would not speak. In a little while afterwards 

 I saw her rise up and walk slowly and quietly 

 home. 



Such scenes as that which I have just noticed 

 are very common in the country. A short time 

 after this took place I was passing a peasant's 

 cottage, when I heard another woman just com- 

 mencing — when one's ear gets accustomed, he can 

 always tell the commencement, middle, or near 

 the end. I stood with several persons outside the 

 cottage listening to this one, and soon ascertained 

 that her husband had been unfaithful to her — a 

 circumstance which she had just found out. It 

 was the same scene over again ; she got gradually 

 more and more excited, and then fell back sense- 

 less on the ground, and threw her feet in the air. 

 I now ventured round to the door, which was 



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