the garden. "I am tired of lying
here;" and he began rocking himself impatiently in his hammock. "Well, I
doubt not it is wearisome," said the count; "suppose I release you;"
and, with those words, he unfastened the ligatures.

The lunatic joyfully leapt out of his hammock, exclaiming, "Now I may go
into the garden!" "Stay," said the count; "suppose before you go you
dance the Tarantella." "Oh, yes!" exclaimed the lunatic, in a tone which
showed that he received the proposal as the greatest possible
indulgence; "I shall be delighted to dance the Tarantella." "Go and
fetch Teresa and Gaetano," said the count to one of the keepers; then
turning to me, he said, "Teresa is also one of our violent patients, and
she sometimes gives us a great deal of trouble. Gaetano was a teacher of
the guitar, and some time ago he became deranged. He is the minstrel of
our establishment." In a few minutes, Teresa, a pretty looking young
woman about twenty years of age, was conducted into the room by two men,
who held her by the arms, while she struggled to escape, and endeavored
to strike them. Gaetano, with his guitar slung round his neck, followed
gravely, but without being held, for his madness was of a perfectly
harmless kind.

No sooner did Teresa perceive Count Pisani, than, by a violent effort
disengaging herself from the keepers, she flew to him, and, drawing him
aside into a corner of the room, she began to tell him a long story
about some ill-treatment to which she alleged she had been subjected. "I
know it; I have heard of it," said the count; "and, therefore, I think
it just to make you some amends. For this reason I have sent for you
that you may dance the Tarantella." Teresa was delighted at hearing
this, and immediately took her place in front of her intended partner.
"Now, Gaetano, _presto! presto!_" said the count, and the musician
struck up the air of the Tarantella in very spirited style.

I have frequently witnessed the magical effect which this air never
fails to produce on the Sicilians; but I never could conceive any thing
like the change it wrought upon these two lunatics. The musician began
to play the air in the time in which it is usually performed; but the
dancers urged him to play it more and more quickly, till at length the
measure became indescribably rapid. The dancers marked the tune with the
most perfect precision by snapping their fingers. After keeping up this
rapid movement with surprising energy for