ace of the old childish defiance
after reproof; but soon her expression became more tranquil and
thoughtful.

Taken up as I was with the sight of her; and possibly weak after the
many and varied emotions I had experienced, I suddenly felt the
oppressive, uneasy sense of terror and misfortune come over me, which
generally accompanies my visions. I attempted to leave the room, but the
vision was upon me before I could do so.

I saw Susanna's face while she danced with Martinez, as white as that of
a strikingly beautiful corpse, and the green wreath with the small white
flowers hung in her hair like wet sea-grass. It seemed as if water were
streaming down her.

The blood rushed to my heart; the room was now dark, amid sparks from
thousands of lights, going round before my eyes with the dancing pair.

I should certainly have fainted at the door, had not the doctor taken me
by the arm, and led me out into the cool passage, and from thence into a
little guest-chamber, where he made me drink some water and lie down on
the bed.

When he came back, half an hour after the attack, and saw that I had
recovered, he sat down by me on the bed, gentle and friendly, and began
in his sincere way to speak out, as he said.

As he thoughtfully unravelled with the snuffers the wick of the candle
which he had in his hand, having taken it from the dressing-table, in
order, I suppose, to observe me, he said he had noticed me this evening,
from the time I came into the room, and thought that my fancy inclined
to the beautiful Susanna L., but that I was jealous of young Martinez.
He had also heard a little bird sing about this before.

It was a feeling which many young people would only be the better for
and be developed by, but for me, with my mental disposition, this kind
of exciting idea was harmful in the highest degree; he had, he gently
added, unfortunately had experience of this in the case of my own poor
mother; for her discovery, in my childhood, that I had inherited her
mental disease, had only been the accidental cause of her loss of
reason.

As a physician and a friend he would now say this, while he thought
there was still time for me to prevent this fancy taking root. And he
would say it not only for my own sake, but also for Susanna's, for he
was very fond of her, and would very unwillingly see her led into what,
from a human point of view, could only end in sorrow.

One thing I must consider, he continued--after a long