in spite of the agitation of my mind; but my dreams were
far more horrifying than my waking thoughts, dreadful as they were. I
awoke early in the afternoon, feverish and unrefreshed.

After some time spent in summoning up resolution, I requested my
landlady to procure for me a sight of any of the Edinburgh newspapers
of the day before. She brought one to me. My agitation was so great
that I dared not trust myself to take it out of her hand, lest she had
perceived the tremor I was in; but requested her to lay it down, while
I appeared to be busy adjusting my dress--carefully, all the time,
keeping my back to her. I had two objects in view: I wished to see the
shipping-list, as it was my aim to leave the country for America by the
first opportunity; and, secondly, to see what account the public had got
of my untoward adventure. I felt conscious that all the city was in
commotion about it, and the authorities despatched for my apprehension;
for I had no doubt that my nurse would at once declare her innocence,
and tell who had done the deed. With an anxiety I want words to express,
I grasped the paper as soon as the landlady retired, and hurried over
its columns until I reached the last. During the interval, I believe I
scarcely breathed; I looked it over once more with care; I felt as if a
load had been lifted from my breast--there was not in the whole paper a
single word of a death by violence or accident. I thought it strange,
but rejoiced. I felt that I was not in such imminent danger of being
apprehended; but my mind was still racked almost to distraction.

I remained in my lodging for several days, very ill, both from a severe
cold I had caught and distress of mind. I had seen every paper during
the time. Still there was nothing in them applicable to my case. I was
bewildered, and knew not what to think. Had the occurrences of that
fearful night, I thought, been only a delusion--some horrid dream or
nightmare? Alas! the large drops of blood that still stained my shirt,
which, in my confusion, I had not changed, drove from my mind the
consoling hope; they were damning evidence of a terrible reality. My
mind reverted back to its former agony, which became so aggravated by
the silence of the public prints that I was rendered desperate. The
silence gave a mystery to the whole occurrence, more unendurable than if
I had found it narrated in the most aggravated language, and my person
described, with a reward for my apprehen