a long howl, and Lord Glenfallen,
suddenly checking his merriment, shrugged his shoulders, and
muttered--

"Poor devil, she has been hardly used."

"We had better not tease her at present with questions," said I, in as
unconcerned a tone as I could assume, although I felt every moment as
if I should faint.

"Humph! may be so," said he, "well, come back in an hour or two, or
when you please, and you will find us here."

He again unlocked the door, and entered with the same precautions
which he had adopted before, locking the door upon the inside, and
as I hurried from the room, I heard his voice again exerted as if in
eager parley. I can hardly describe my emotions; my hopes had been
raised to the highest, and now in an instant, all was gone--the
dreadful consummation was accomplished--the fearful retribution had
fallen upon the guilty man--the mind was destroyed--the power to
repent was gone. The agony of the hours which followed what I would
still call my _awful_ interview with Lord Glenfallen, I cannot describe;
my solitude was, however, broken in upon by Martha, who came to inform
me of the arrival of a gentleman, who expected me in the parlour. I
accordingly descended, and to my great joy, found my father seated by
the fire. This expedition, upon his part, was easily accounted for:
my communications had touched the honour of the family. I speedily
informed him of the dreadful malady which had fallen upon the wretched
man. My father suggested the necessity of placing some person to watch
him, to prevent his injuring himself or others. I rang the bell, and
desired that one Edward Cooke, an attached servant of the family,
should be sent to me. I told him distinctly and briefly, the nature
of the service required of him, and, attended by him, my father and I
proceeded at once to the study; the door of the inner room was still
closed, and everything in the outer chamber remained in the same order
in which I had left it. We then advanced to the closet door, at which
we knocked, but without receiving any answer. We next tried to open
the door, but in vain--it was locked upon the inside; we knocked more
loudly, but in vain. Seriously alarmed, I desired the servant to force
the door, which was, after several violent efforts, accomplished, and
we entered the closet. Lord Glenfallen was lying on his face upon a
sofa.

"Hush," said I, "he is asleep"; we paused for a moment.

"He is too still for that," said my father;