hter, knelt by her side on the floor, though greatly agitated herself,
and endeavoring to calm her mother's apprehensions. Without once
reflecting on the possible consequences, I sat down on a chair beside the
sufferer, felt her pulse, and as well as I could, made inquiries after her
health. Her pulse was quick, her tongue white and thickly furred, and
extreme lassitude was shown by her dejected countenance. Uncertain as to
the nature of her disease, and unable to offer any alleviation of her
sufferings, I retired to my apartment. There I _did_ reflect on the danger
which I had incurred, and the possibility of the widow having caught the
plague.

Every hour she became worse; her sufferings were intensely painful; and to
shorten the recital of the sad scene of that night, I will only add, that
the horrid disease showed itself on her person before midnight, and at
break of day her spirit fled. Of course my mind now prepared for death. I
felt confident that I also should soon be a victim to the plague. Early in
the morning I called a passing priest and had the widow's remains conveyed
to their last abode--I knew not where. I had no place to fly to; every
door would be closed against me; and I retired to my apartment, feeling
that I was stepping into my tomb while yet alive. There I was not long
kept in suspense, for soon the plague attacked first Petraki then myself.
When giddiness, the first symptom of the plague, seized me, and I could no
longer stand, but fell despairingly on my bed, what were my feelings! But
let me not recall them _now_; the mental agony which I suffered it is
impossible to describe, and I shudder at the recollection. Aleuka attended
upon me and her brother with all the tenderness and care and forgetfulness
of self which is so characteristic of the female character. I begged her
to leave me to die alone, to place water by my side and depart, but she
would not hear of it.

The first night after his attack Petraki expired, and on the following
morning was borne away; and I have an indistinct recollection of being
visited on the evening of the same day by the priest and porters. They
endeavored to prevail upon Aleuka to desert me, saying that in a few hours
I would cease to exist. But she constantly refused, determined she
replied, to remain by my side until my sufferings were ended.

* * * * *

For several days I was delirious. I remember I knew of nothing; nothing
but