"'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.