THE MONOMANIAC. 209 



extempore sentence or two, so that he should not lose a syllable, and 

 then went on with increased ability. As the drama proceeded, the 

 insane merchant became more powerfully enthralled, and leaning his 

 hands on the front of the box, he rocked himself backwards and for- 

 wards with visible emotion ; his eyes filled with tears, and in a short 

 time dwelt with a steady gaze upon what was going forward, instead 

 of wandering with ceaseless motion on vacancy as they were wont. 



" Do you think all these things could happen in real life ?" he 

 asked me, as Hubert's rhetoric appeared to prevail on Leon. 



" Certainly," I answered, " I am informed that the circumstances 

 are founded upon facts." 



" You don't say so ? Then perhaps celestial thought ! perhaps 

 after all / am not mad ; I too am labouring under a delusion." 



" I am sure that such is the case," replied I, eagerly. 



" Well, well; we shall see," he added, returning to his former 

 attentive posture. 



Skillfully now was the scene proceeded with. At one period, as 

 the light of returning sense flashed from Leon's eye, Hill started up 

 and exclaimed, " Hold stay hold ! No, no, go on." And again 

 sinking into his seat, he pressed both hands to his temples. The im- 

 portant time had evidently arrived ; Hubert no longer addressed 

 himself to Leon ; but fixing his piercing eye upon Hill, pointed 

 every look and word solely to him, in tones so impressive, and with 

 action so enforcing, that even I forgot that it was not reality. Hill 

 was worked up to the most powerful pitch of excitement. He 

 seemed, while straining his ears to catch every sound, to turn his 

 thoughts back upon themselves and question their soundness ; first 

 closing his eyes then opened them knit his brow rapidly tapped 

 his forehead successively with the fingers of his right hand, while his 

 left seemed to grasp at something in the air. Listened again drew 

 back paused contracted every feature expanded them once more 

 as if some conviction had struck him, and exclaimed aloud, " Tell 

 me, lest my brain burst with intense anxiety, what am I to infer 

 from this ? Am I mad, or does reason still hold her empire in my 

 temples ?" 



" You are not mad : a reprehensible eccentricity, which must im- 

 mediately be shaken off, alone caused others to think so," returned 

 with promptitude the gentleman who performed Hubert. 



" But I thought" 



" All thoughts unsanctioned by common sense are erroneous, and, 

 if indulged in, lead to lunacy ; it therefore behoves you, as you prize 

 the inestimable gift of reason, to banish those inexcusable fallacies 

 which have hitherto overpowered your mind, and cease to make 

 yourself ridiculous in the eyes of the world." 



" I shall go mad with joy," cried Hill, springing towards his wife. 

 " Look at me, loved partner of my days," he continued ; " answer 

 me, on your soul ! my pulse I know beats quick, but is the mean- 

 ingless look of madness on my features still ? does one gleam of 

 sense escape from beneath my eyelids ? does sober reason curb the 

 grin of idiotcy on my lips to smiles ? Do I Ha ! ha ! ha ! Do I 

 laugh like a madman now ?" 



M. M. No. 89. 2 E 



