done. "Thank God, Mackellar, I have you to lean upon! But what can it be
now? What, what can it be?"

In my own mind I believed there was no explanation possible, and none
required; it was my fear that the man's madness had now simply burst
forth its way, like the long-smothered flames of a volcano; but to this
(in mere mercy to my lady) I durst not give expression.

"It is more to the purpose to consider our own behaviour," said I. "Must
we leave him there alone?"

"I do not dare disturb him," she replied. "Nature may know best; it may
be Nature that cries to be alone; and we grope in the dark. O yes, I
would leave him as he is."

"I will, then, despatch this letter, my lady, and return here, if you
please, to sit with you," said I.

"Pray do," cries my lady.

All afternoon we sat together, mostly in silence, watching my lord's
door. My own mind was busy with the scene that had just passed, and its
singular resemblance to my vision. I must say a word upon this, for the
story has gone abroad with great exaggeration, and I have even seen it
printed, and my own name referred to for particulars. So much was the
same: here was my lord in a room, with his head upon the table, and when
he raised his face, it wore such an expression as distressed me to the
soul. But the room was different, my lord's attitude at the table not at
all the same, and his face, when he disclosed it, expressed a painful
degree of fury instead of that haunting despair which had always (except
once, already referred to) characterised it in the vision. There is the
whole truth at last before the public; and if the differences be great,
the coincidence was yet enough to fill me with uneasiness. All
afternoon, as I say, I sat and pondered upon this quite to myself; for
my lady had trouble of her own, and it was my last thought to vex her
with fancies. About the midst of our time of waiting, she conceived an
ingenious scheme, had Mr. Alexander fetched, and bid him knock at his
father's door. My lord sent the boy about his business, but without the
least violence, whether of manner or expression; so that I began to
entertain a hope the fit was over.

At last, as the night fell and I was lighting a lamp that stood there
trimmed, the door opened and my lord stood within upon the threshold.
The light was not so strong that we could read his countenance; when he
spoke, methought his voice a little altered, but yet perfectly steady.

"Mackellar," said