cluded monotony of his
ordinary life.

It was said that he had accumulated vast sums of money--and, as his bets
were always successful, and always large, such must have been the case.
He did not suffer the acquisition of wealth, however, to influence his
hospitality or his housekeeping--he neither purchased land, nor extended
his establishment; and his mode of enjoying his money must have been
altogether that of the miser--consisting merely in the pleasure of
touching and telling his gold, and in the consciousness of wealth.

Sir Robert's temper, so far from improving, became more than ever gloomy
and morose. He sometimes carried the indulgence of his evil dispositions
to such a height that it bordered upon insanity. During these paroxysms
he would neither eat, drink, nor sleep. On such occasions he insisted on
perfect privacy, even from the intrusion of his most trusted servants;
his voice was frequently heard, sometimes in earnest supplication,
sometime as if in loud and angry altercation with some unknown visitant;
sometimes he would, for hours together, walk to and fro throughout the
long oak wainscoted apartment, which he generally occupied, with wild
gesticulations and agitated pace, in the manner of one who has been
roused to a state of unnatural excitement by some sudden and appalling
intimation.

These paroxysms of apparent lunacy were so frightful, that during
their continuance even his oldest and most-faithful domestics dared not
approach him; consequently, his hours of agony were never intruded upon,
and the mysterious causes of his sufferings appeared likely to remain
hidden for ever.

On one occasion a fit of this kind continued for an unusual time, the
ordinary term of their duration--about two days--had been long past,
and the old servant who generally waited upon Sir Robert after these
visitations, having in vain listened for the well-known tinkle of his
master's hand-bell, began to feel extremely anxious; he feared that his
master might have died from sheer exhaustion, or perhaps put an end to
his own existence during his miserable depression. These fears at length
became so strong, that having in vain urged some of his brother servants
to accompany him, he determined to go up alone, and himself see whether
any accident had befallen Sir Robert.

He traversed the several passages which conducted from the new to the
more ancient parts of the mansion, and having arrived in the old hall of
the castle