ed; and Lady Greville's insanity was, in
the opinion of her physicians and attendants, confirmed for life. She
relapsed into that state of composed but decided aberration of mind, in
which she still remains. I soon observed that my presence alone appeared
to retain the power of irritating her feelings; and she seemed to shrink
instinctively from every person with whom she had been in habits of
intercourse previous to her misfortune. I therefore consigned this
helpless sufferer to the charge of the nurse of my own infancy, Alice
Wishart; whom, from her constant residence at the Cross, Lady Greville
had never seen.

"This trustworthy woman, and her husband, who was also an hereditary
retainer of our house, willingly devoted themselves to the melancholy
service required; and hateful as Silsea had now become to my feelings,
I broke up in part my establishment and became a restless and unhappy
wanderer, seeking, in vain, oblivion of the past, or hope for the
future. Would to God I had possessed sufficient fortitude to remain
chained to the isolation of my miserable home! for then had we never
met; and thou, my Helen, wouldst have escaped this hour of shame and
sorrow."

CHAPTER IV.

"Courteous Lord--one word--
Sir, you and I have lov'd--but that's not it--
Sir, you and I must part."--_ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA_

"Hitherto I have had to dwell in my recitation on the vices and
frailties of my brothers of the dust, and to describe myself as an
innocent sufferer; but I now approach a period of my life, from the
mention of which I shrink with well-grounded apprehensions. Yet judge
me with candour; remember the strength of the temptation through which I
erred; and divesting yourself, if possible, of the recollection of your
own injuries, moderate your resentment against an unfortunate being, who
for many long years of his existence has not enjoyed one easy hour.

"It was nearly three years after the period to which I have alluded that
an accident of which I need not remind you, my beloved Helen, introduced
me to the acquaintance of your family. You may remember the backwardness
with which I first received their approaches; the very name of Percy had
become ominously painful to me, and yet it inspired me with a strange
and undefinable interest. A spell appeared to attract me towards you,
and in spite of my first resolution to the contrary, in spite of
the melancholy reserve that still dwelt upon my mind, I becam