18 LOVE AND MADNESS. 



son had deserted, but as a being wlio had never mingled with the 

 world, and dwelt in the midst of its vice and deformity in primeval 

 beauty and uncontaminated innocence and affection. 



His visits were now anxiously repeated and as eagerly anticipated 

 by his interesting companion, to whom he found himself, almost in- 

 voluntarily, deeply attached, the more so, perhaps, from the romantic 

 circumstances of the case, and the secrecy which it was absolutely 

 necessary to maintain of the whole affair, so that no ear was privy to 

 his visits, and no eye had marked their meetings. At length, how- 

 ever, the matter began to effect a singular change in the mind of the 

 lady, which became every day more and more composed, though 

 still subject to wanderings and abstraction ; but the new passion, 

 which was daily taking possession of her mind, seemed to be eradi- 

 cating tlie cause, or, at least, counteracting the effects of her malady. 



This alteration was soon visible to the inmates of the house, and 

 the progress of her recovery was so rapid as to induce them to seek 

 for some latent cause, and to watch her frequent and prolonged visits 

 to the garden ; the consequence was, that at their next meeting an 



eye was on them which reported the circumstance of W 's visit 



to the superior of the establishment; an immediate stop was then 

 put to his return, and the lady's walks confined to another portion of 

 the grounds. The consequences were soon obvious ; her regret and 

 anxiety served to recall her disorder with redoubled vigour, and in 

 the paroxysms of her delirium she eagerly demanded to be again 

 permitted to see him. 



A communication was now made to her parents, containing a de- 

 tail of all the circumstances, — her quick recovery, her relapse, and 

 the apparent cause of both; and, after some conferences, it was re- 

 solved that W should be invited to renew his visits, and the 



affair be permitted to take its natural course. He accordingly re- 

 paired to the usual rendezvous, where she met him with tlie most 

 impassioned eagerness, affectionately reproached his absence, and 

 welcomed him with fond and innocent caresses. He now saw her 

 as frequently as before, and a second time her recovery was rapidly 

 progressing, till at length she was so far restored that her parents re- 

 solved on removing her to her own home, and she accordingly bade 

 adieu to the asylum. 



There were here some circumstances which W 's companion, 



Mr. R , related indistinctly, or of which I retain but an imper- 

 fect recollection ; and he who could alone have informed me of them 

 was gone to his long home before I heard his singular story. It ap- 

 peared, however, that, after some farther intercourse, he was obliged 



