FRENCH CONVULSIVKS. 651 



but Raymon and the gardener of Lagny, who was privy to her in- 

 timacy with Raymon. Although Sir Ralph Brown had sufficient 

 penetration to assign it to its right cause, he consdered him sufficiently 

 punished by remorse, and remained silent on the subject. Madame 

 Delmare was thus kept in ignorance of the facts, and continued so to 

 the end. As for Raymon, he at first meditated suicide, but resolved 

 to live for the sake of his aged and helpless mother, to consecrate his 

 existence to her happiness, as the best reparation for his crime. He 

 returned to Paris, plunged again into the world, and soon felt its 

 vital and exciting influences. He felt, in his young heart, in his 

 active brain, in his whole vivacious and robust being, life overflow 

 at every pore. Destiny made him happy in his own despite ; and he 

 asked pardon of an angry ghost, which sometimes would wait in his 

 dreams, for having sought in the attachment of the living a support 

 against the terrors of the tomb. His thoughts reverted to Indiana, 

 to the treasure he had lost; he still retained hopes, and he set about 

 repairing that loss. He made himself useful to Colonel Delmare, 

 and by degrees gained the confidence of the Colonel, who, provided a 

 man was what is called honest, never inquired further into his cha- 

 racter. 



Though Madame Delmare refused again to meet Raymon, his arts 

 and assiduity triumphed over her determination, and, in a short time, 

 he was fully established in the intimacy of the Colonel and Sir Ralph 

 Brown, and the love of Indiana. The latter abandoned herself to 

 her passion with an intensity that startled Raymon. He was hurried 

 along by the charms of a woman so frail and so impassioned, so deli- 

 cate in body and so resolute in heart. Six months passed away in 

 this mutual intercourse of soul, when, at length, the Colonel was 

 obliged to absent himself on business that threatened the ruin of his 

 fortune. Indiana was confided to the care of Sir Ralph. Raymon 

 seized the opportunity of pressing for a proof of her love. It was 

 granted as readily as it was asked. He entered the park at midnight, 

 by the same door through which he had so often passed to visit Noun ' 

 crossed the bridge that spanned the stream where she had perished 

 eluded the vigilance of Sir Ralph, who was posted there to inter- 

 cept him, as he had a suspicion of his intention and, with a light 

 heart, mounted the stairs leading to his mistress's chamber. But he 

 was little prepared for the scene that there awaited him. 



Seeing that she was fast approaching the crisis of her fate, Sir. 

 Ralph had attempted to reveal to her the real causes of the death of 

 Noun. Her impatience prevented her from giving ear to it, but she 

 heard sufficient to awaken her reflections. To satisfy the doubts of 

 her mind she resorted to an experiment such as the weak and unhappy 

 alone are capable of conceiving. She resolved to practise on the 

 conscience of her lover, and collected around her all the memorials of 

 the departed Noun. On entering the chamber, Raymon started at 

 finding it furnished with objects of remorse. Indiana had imitated 

 the dress of Noun so closely, and resembled her so much, that for an 

 instant he thought his superstitious ideas were realized. He recovered 

 himself, however, to undergo a fresh shock. Indiana put into his 



