"'My sweet Alicia, there is nothing there but the tremulous shadow of

the vine leaves cast by the moonlight,' said Mr. Dubarry, persuasively,

as he went and drew the curtain before the window, and then struck a

match and lighted a lamp.

"But her eyes were never removed from the spot where she had gazed.

"'It is there yet!' she cried.

"'What is there, good Alicia? there is nothing there, indeed!' "'Yes, the dead woman and dead child! Do you not see them?' "'See! no! you are in one of your nervous attacks; but to-morrow we will

leave this place, and you will have no more of them.' "'Hush! No! I shall never leave this place again.' "'You shall start by sunrise to-morrow.' "'Hush! listen! I will tell you what happened. I was sleeping well, very

well, when suddenly I was awakened with a tremendous shock. I started up

in bed and saw her--the terrible girl! She was standing at the foot of

the bed looking at me, and pointing to something that lay upon the

floor. I looked and saw--there it is yet!--the dead woman, with the dead

babe on her bosom! I shrieked aloud, for I knew the woman was myself,

and the babe was my own! And as I shrieked, she vanished, as she always

does; but the dead woman and child remained! And there they are yet! Oh!

cover them over, Philip! cover them over! Cover them from my sight, for

I have no power to withdraw my eyes from them,' she exclaimed in wild

excitement.

"Almost beside himself with distress, Philip Dubarry seized a large

table cover and threw it down over the spot upon which her eyes were

fixed.

"'Ah! it is of no use! it is of no use! I see them still! they rise

above the covering! they lie upon it!' she cried, in terrific emotion,

shaking as if with an ague fit.

"'Lie down,' said Philip Dubarry, compelling himself to be calm, for the

sake of trying to calm her. And he took her and laid her back upon the

pillow. But still she raved, like one in high fever and delirium.

"'I have received my sentence! I am doomed! I am doomed! I have seen my

own corpse, and the corpse of my child!' she cried. And then a violent

convulsion seized her.

"Nearly maddened by terror and despair, Philip Dubarry rushed from the

room and loudly called for assistance. The chamber was soon filled with

the members of the household, not one of whom knew what to do, until the

entrance of the old housekeeper, who sent everybody out, and requested

Mr. Dubarry to dispatch a carriage for the family physician.




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