a demon, or possessed by one.

"She died giving birth to a boy. I then felt sorrow, until I looked at
the child, and saw that it was the image of the colonel--the man who had
caused me such misery. Again my passions were roused, and I vowed that
the child should never know his father. I made my maid believe that the
lady I visited was an old school-fellow, and never mentioned my sister's
name, at least I thought so at the time, but I afterwards found that I
had not deceived her. I persuaded her to take the child to her
father's, saying that I had promised my friend on her death-bed that I
would take care of it, but that it must be a secret, or invidious
remarks would be made. I then returned to Culverwood Hall, dropping my
nurse and the child on my way, and reported to my father my sister's
death, of course concealing that the child was living. Sir Alexander
was much affected, and wept bitterly; indeed, from that day he rapidly
declined.

"I had now satiated my revenge, and was sorry when I had done so. Until
then I had been kept up by excitement, now all excitement was over, and
I had time for reflection; I was miserable, and in a state of constant
warfare with my conscience; but, in vain, the more I reflected, the more
I was dissatisfied with myself, and would have given worlds that I could
recall what I had done.

"At this time, Sir Richard R--came down on a visit. He admired me,
proposed, and was accepted, chiefly that I might remove from the hall,
than for any other cause. I thought that new scenes and change of place
would make me forget, but I was sadly mistaken. I went away with my
husband, and as soon as I was away, I was in a constant fright lest my
nurse should betray me to my father, and begged Sir Richard to shorten
his intended tour and allow me to return to the hall, as the accounts of
my father's health were alarming. My husband consented, and I had not
been at the hall more than a fortnight, when my father's death relieved
me from further anxiety on that score.

"Another fear now possessed me; I saw by my father's will that he had
left 5,000 pounds to me, and also to my sister, in case of one dying,
the survivor to have both sums, but the same cause of alarm was in my
great aunt's will. My great aunt had left 10,000 pounds to me, and
10,000 pounds to my sister Ellen, to be settled upon us at our marriage,
and in case of either dying without issue, the survivor to be legatee.
Thus in two