for my brother, so well calculated to inspire a young girl's
love. I watched them with the keen and angry eyes of jealousy. I
followed them in their walks; I played the eavesdropper, and caught up
the words of their innocent conversation, endeavoring to turn them to
their disadvantage. By degrees I came to hate Norman; and what equals
in intensity a brother's hate? It surpasses the hate of woman.

In the insanity of my passion--then I was insane indeed--I sought to
rival my brother in all those things in which he was my superior. He
was fond of field sports, and a master of all athletic exercises; he
was fond of bringing home the trophies of his manly skill and
displaying them in the eyes of his mistress. He could bring down the
hawk from the clouds, or arrest the career of the deer in full spring.
I practised shooting, and failed miserably. His good-natured smile at
my maladroitness I treasured up as a deadly wrong. While he rode
fearlessly, I trembled at the thought of a leap. He danced gracefully
and lightly; my awkward attempts at waltzing made both Amy and her
lover smile.

But in mental accomplishments I was the superior of Norman; and in my
capacity of teacher both to Amy and my brother, I had ample
opportunity of displaying the powers of my mind.

Amy was gifted with quick intelligence; Norman was a dull scholar.
What pleasure I took in humbling him in the eyes of his mistress! what
asperity and scorn I threw into my pedantic rebukes! Norman was
astonished and wounded at my manner. As he was in a good degree
dependent on me, as he owed to me his nurture, sustenance, and
training, I took full advantage of our relative position. With
well-feigned earnestness and sorrow, I exaggerated my pecuniary
embarrassments, and pointed out to him the necessity of his providing
for himself, suggesting, with tears in my eyes, that he must adopt
some servile trade or calling, as his melancholy deficiencies
precluded the possibility of his success in any other line.

Norman had little care for money. Before the fatal advent of Amy, I
had supplied him freely with the means of gratifying his tastes; but
when I found that he expended his allowance in presents for his fair
cousin, on the plea of hard necessity I restricted his supplies, and
finally limited him to a pittance, which only a feeble regard for the
memory of our indulgent mother forced me to grant.

One day--I remember it well--he came to me with joy depicted in his