f
my return with some tidings of her sister. I had none to communicate.
For a time I was breathless with my speed. This, and the tremors that
shook my frame, and the wildness of my looks, alarmed her. She
immediately suspected some disaster to have happened to her friend, and
her own speech was as much overpowered by emotion as mine. She was
silent, but her looks manifested her impatience to hear what I had to
communicate. I spoke, but with so much precipitation as scarcely to be
understood; catching her at the same time by the arm, and forcibly
pulling her from her seat.

"Come along with me; fly; waste not a moment; time will be lost, and the
deed will be omitted. Tarry not, question not, but fly with me."

This deportment added afresh to her alarms. Her eyes pursued mine, and
she said, "What is the matter? For God's sake, what is the matter? Where
would you have me go?"

My eyes were fixed upon her countenance while she spoke. I thought upon
her virtues; I viewed her as the mother of my babes; as my wife. I
recalled the purpose for which I thus urged her attendance. My heart
faltered, and I saw that I must rouse to this work all my faculties. The
danger of the least delay was imminent.

I looked away from her, and, again exerting my force, drew her toward
the door. "You must go with me; indeed you must."

In her fright she half resisted my efforts, and again exclaimed, "Good
heaven! what is it you mean? Where go? What has happened? Have you
found Clara?"

"Follow me and you will see," I answered, still urging her reluctant
steps forward.

"What frenzy has seized you? Something must needs have happened. Is she
sick? Have you found her?"

"Come and see. Follow me and know for yourself."

Still she expostulated and besought me to explain this mysterious
behavior. I could not trust myself to answer her, to look at her; but
grasping her arm, I drew her after me. She hesitated, rather through
confusion of mind than from unwillingness to accompany me. This
confusion gradually abated, and she moved forward, but with irresolute
footsteps and continual exclamations of wonder and terror. Her
interrogations of "What was the matter?" and "Whither was I going?" were
ceaseless and vehement.

It was the scope of my efforts not to think; to keep up a conflict and
uproar in my mind in which all order and distinctness should be lost; to
escape from the sensations produced by her voice. I was therefore
silent. I strove to