ionable part of the inhabitants of the town
have their residences. At the mouth of a coach entry, which ran along
the gable of a large house, and apparently led to the back offices
connected with the residence, the young woman stopped, and whispered to
me to take care of my feet, as she was to use the liberty of leading me
along a meuse lane to a back entrance, through which I was to be
conducted into the chamber of the sick lady. I obeyed her directions;
and, keeping close behind her, was led along the lane, and through
several turns and windings which I feared I might not again be able to
trace without a guide, until we came to a back door, when the young
woman--begging my pardon for her forwardness--took hold of my hand,
and led me along a dark passage, then up a stair, then along another
passage, which was lighted by some wax tapers placed in recesses in the
wall; at the end of which, she softly opened a door, and ushered me into
a very large bedroom, the magnificence of which was only partly revealed
to me by a small lamp filled with aromatic oil, whose fragrance filled
the apartment. The young woman walked quickly forward to a bed, hung
with light green silk damask curtains fringed with yellow, and
luxuriously ornamented with a superfluity of gilding; and, drawing aside
the curtains, she whispered a few words into the ear of some one lying
there, apparently in distress; then hurried out of the room, leaving me
standing on the floor, without introduction or explanation.

The novelty of my position deprived me for a moment of my
self-possession, and I stood stationary in the middle of the room,
deliberating upon whether I should call back my conductress, and ask
from her some explanation, or proceed forward to the couch, where,
no doubt, my services were required; but my hesitation was soon
resolved, by the extraordinary appearance of an Indian-coloured female
countenance, much emaciated, and lighted up with two bright orbs,
occupying the interstice between the curtains, and beckoning on me,
apparently with a painful effort, forward. I obeyed, and, throwing open
the large folds of damask, had as full a view of my extraordinary
patient as the light that emanated from the perfumed lamp, and shone
feebly on her dark countenance, would permit. She beckoned to me to take
a chair, which stood by the side of the bed; and, having complied with
her mute request, I begged to know what was the complaint under which
she laboure