th feeling. Her
heart throbbed violently, and her brain grew dizzy. Another moonbeam
irradiated the chamber. She was still gazing on the box; but whether
the foregoing impression was merely hallucinatory, an illusion of the
feverish and excited sense, she knew not, for the box was there,
undisturbed, grim, silent, and mysterious as before. Yet she could not
withdraw her eyes from it. There is a fascination in terror. She could
hardly resist a horrible desire, or rather impulse, to leap forth, and
hasten towards it. Her brow felt cold and clammy; her eyes grew dim,
and as though motes of fire were rushing by; but ere she could summon
help she fell back senseless on her pillow.

Morning was far advanced ere she felt any returning recollection. At
first a confused and dream-like sensation came upon her. Looking
wildly round, her eyes rested on the box, and the whole interval came
suddenly to her memory. She shuddered at the retrospect; but she was
determined, whether it had been fancy or not, to keep the secret
within her own breast, though more undetermined than ever to break
open the fearful cause of her disturbance. Yet she durst not seek
repose another night with such a companion. Her apprehensions were not
easily allayed, however disposed she might be to treat them as trivial
and unfounded.

"Will you not open yonder package that came last night?" inquired
Eleanor, as they were sitting down to breakfast. Maria shuddered, as
though something loathsome had crossed her. She shook off the reptile
thought, which had all the character of some crawling and offensive
thing as it passed her bosom.

"I have not--that is, I--I have not yet ordered it to be undone."

"And why?" said Eleanor, now raising her soft blue eyes with an
expression of wonder and curiosity on her cousin. "It did not use to
be thus when there came one of these couriers from town."

"'Tis not from Harry Downes; and--I care not just now to have the
trouble on't, being jaded and out of spirits."

"I will relieve you of the trouble presently, if you will permit me,"
said Eleanor, who was not without a secret hope, notwithstanding
Maria's assertion, that it was a message of gladness from Harry, with
the customary present for his sister, and perhaps a token of kindness
for herself.

"Stay!" said Maria, laying her hand on Eleanor as she rose, whilst
with a solemn and startling tone she cried, "Not yet!" She sat down;
Eleanor, pale and trembling, sat down