not trace to my own fault, for I
should not know where to place the reason, and that would degrade me to
the rank of creatures governed by instinct alone. I feel that I am
somewhat more than a beast. A beast, in truth, is a foolish neighbour of
mine, who tries to argue that the brutes reason better than we do.

"I will grant," I said, "that they reason better than you, but I can go
no farther; and I think every reasonable man would say as much."

This reply has made me an enemy, although he admits the first part of the
thesis.

Happier than I, Veronique slept for three hours; but she was disagreeably
surprised on my telling her that I had not been able to close an eye, and
on finding me in the same state of impotence as before. She began to get
angry when I tried to convince her rather too forcibly that my misfortune
was not due to my want of will, and then she blamed herself as the cause
of my impotence; and mortified by the idea, she endeavoured to destroy
the spell by all the means which passion suggested, and which I had
hitherto thought infallible; but her efforts and mine were all thrown
away. My despair was as great as hers when at last, wearied, ashamed, and
degraded in her own eyes, she discontinued her efforts, her eyes full of
tears. She went away without a word, and left me alone for the two or
three hours which had still to elapse before the dawn appeared.

At day-break Costa came and told me that the sea being rough and a
contrary wind blowing, the felucca would be in danger of perishing.

"We will go as soon as the weather improves," said I; "in the mean time
light me a fire."

I arose, and proceeded to write down the sad history of the night. This
occupation soothed me, and feeling inclined to sleep I lay down again and
slept for eight hours. When I awoke I felt better, but still rather sad.
The two sisters were delighted to see me in good health, but I thought I
saw on Veronique's features an unpleasant expression of contempt.
However, I had deserved it, and I did not take the trouble of changing
her opinion, though if she had been more caressing she might easily have
put me in a state to repair the involuntary wrongs I had done her in the
night. Before we sat down to table I gave her a present of a hundred
sequins, which made her look a little more cheerful. I gave an equal
present to my dear Annette, who had not expected anything, thinking
herself amply recompensed by my first gift and by the pl