more beloved than you; I am hurried to an untimely end.
God of heaven! die I did I say die? I cannot, will not--Mother, save
your child!--Brother, help me, save me!"

"My daughter, my darling child!" cried the despairing mother, wringing
her hands and weeping bitterly.

"My dearest sister Anne, what can I do for you?" inquired the young man,
whose stern features were melted into mere womanish tenderness.

"Daughter," interrupted the priest, "God is good; he can and will
forgive you if you heartily turn to him, with a sincere desire to atone
for your fault."

All this took place in less time than it has taken in the recital. My
brother-in-law seemed completely deprived of his usual self-possession
by this burst of frightful raving; his feet appeared rooted to the
floor of the chamber; his colour changed from white to red, and a cold
perspiration covered his brows. For my own part, I was moved beyond
description; but my faculties seemed spell-bound, and when I strove to
speak, my tongue cleaved to my mouth.

The delirium of poor Anne continued for some time to find utterance,
either by convulsive gesticulation, half-uttered expressions, and,
occasionally, loud and vehement imprecations. At length, quite exhausted
with her violence, which required all the efforts of her brother to
subdue by positive force, she sunk into a state of insensibility. The
priest, on his knees, implored in a loud voice the mercy of Providence
for the king and all his subjects. Had any person conceived the design
of working on my fears so far as to induce me to abandon a life at
court, they could not have succeeded more entirely than by exhibiting
to me the scene I have been describing. Had not many contending ideas
enabled me to bear up under all I saw and heard, my senses must have
forsaken me; under common circumstances, the aspect of the brother alone
would have terrified me exceedingly; and even now, I cannot recollect
without a shudder, the looks of dark and sinister meaning he alternately
directed at me and at comte Jean. At this moment, the doctor who had the
charge of the unhappy girl arrived. The warmth and eagerness of manner
with which he addressed me directly he perceived my presence, might
have proved to all around that I was not the hateful creature I had been
described. This well-timed interruption restored me to the use of my
faculties, and repulsing the well-meant attentions of my medical friend,
I exclaimed, "Do not heed me