e powers of my sight,
on this bewitching object, when, in an instant, down he went. I had
heard of such things as a cramp seizing on even the best swimmers, and
occasioning their being drowned; and imagining this so sudden eclipse
to be owing to it, the inconceivable fondness this unknown lad had given
birth to, distracted me with the most killing terrors; insomuch, that my
concern giving the wings, I flew to the door, opened it, ran down to
the canal, guided thither by the madness of my fears for him, and the
intense desire of being an instrument to save him, though I was ignorant
how, or by what means to effect it: but was it for fears, and a passion
so sudden as mine, to reason! All this took up scarce the space of a few
moments. I had then just life enough to reach the green borders of the
waterpiece, where wildly looking round for the young man, and missing
him still, my fright and concern sunk me down in a deep swoon, which
must have lasted me some time; for I did not come to myself, till I was
roused out of it by a sense of pain that pierced me to the vitals, and
awaked me to the the most surprising circumstance of finding myself not
only in the arms of this very young gentleman I had been so solicitous
to save; but taken at such an advantage in my unresisting condition,
that he had actually completed his entrance into me so far, that
weakened as I was by all the preceding conflicts of mind I had suffered,
and struck dumb by the violence of my surprise, I had neither the power
to cry out, nor the strength to disengage myself from his strenuous
embraces, before, urging his point, he had forced his way and completely
triumphed over my virginity, as he might now as well see by the
streams of blood that followed his drawing out, as he had felt by the
difficulties he had met with consummating his penetration. But the
sight of the blood, and the sense of my condition, had (as he told me
afterwards), since the ungovernable rage of his passion was somewhat
appeased, now wrought so far on him, that at all risks, even of the
worst consequences, he could not find in his heart to leave me, and make
off, which he might easily have done. I still lay all discomposed
in bleeding ruin, palpitating, speechless, unable to get off, and
frightened, and fluttering like a poor wounded partridge, and ready
to faint away again at the sense of what had befallen me. The young
gentleman was by me, kneeling, kissing my hand, and with tears in