plunderers was possible. Every
hour might be that which decided my fate. The first impulse was to seek
my dwelling and search for this precious deposit.

"Meanwhile, my perturbations and impatience only exasperated my disease.
While chained to my bed, the rumour of pestilence was spread abroad.
This event, however, generally calamitous, was propitious to me, and was
hailed with satisfaction. It multiplied the chances that my house and
its furniture would be unmolested.

"My friend was assiduous and indefatigable in his kindness. My
deportment, before and subsequent to the revival of my hopes, was
incomprehensible, and argued nothing less than insanity. My thoughts
were carefully concealed from him, and all that he witnessed was
contradictory and unintelligible.

"At length, my strength was sufficiently restored. I resisted all my
protector's importunities to postpone my departure till the perfect
confirmation of my health. I designed to enter the city at midnight,
that prying eyes might be eluded; to bear with me a candle and the means
of lighting it, to explore my way to my ancient study, and to ascertain
my future claim to existence and felicity.

"I crossed the river this morning. My impatience would not suffer me to
wait till evening. Considering the desolation of the city, I thought I
might venture to approach thus near, without hazard of detection. The
house, at all its avenues, was closed. I stole into the back court. A
window-shutter proved to be unfastened. I entered, and discovered
closets and cabinets unfastened and emptied of all their contents. At
this spectacle my heart sunk. My books, doubtless, had shared the common
destiny. My blood throbbed with painful vehemence as I approached the
study and opened the door.

"My hopes, that languished for a moment, were revived by the sight of my
shelves, furnished as formerly. I had lighted my candle below, for I
desired not to awaken observation and suspicion by unclosing the
windows. My eye eagerly sought the spot where I remembered to have left
the volume. Its place was empty. The object of all my hopes had eluded
my grasp, and disappeared forever.

"To paint my confusion, to repeat my execrations on the infatuation
which had rendered, during so long a time that it was in my possession,
this treasure useless to me, and my curses of the fatal interference
which had snatched away the prize, would be only aggravations of my
disappointment and my sorrow. You f