delicate　health；　and　too　fine　an　organisation　of　the　nerves
  rendered　her　susceptible　to　every　impression　that　could　influence
  the　health　of　the　frame　through　the　sympathy　of　the　mind。　　But　as
  she　never　complained；　and　as　the　singular　serenity　of　her　manners
  seemed　to　betoken　an　equanimity　of　temperament　which；　with　the
  vulgar；　might　have　passed　for　indifference；　her　sufferings　had　so
  long　been　borne　unnoticed　that　it　ceased　to　be　an　effort　to
  disguise　them。　　Though；　as　I　have　said；　not　handsome；　her
  countenance　was　interesting　and　pleasing；　and　there　was　that
  caressing　kindness；　that　winning　charm　about　her　smile；　her
  manners；　her　anxiety　to　please；　to　comfort；　and　to　soothe　which
  went　at　once　to　the　heart；　and　made　her　lovely；because　so
  loving。
  Such　was　the　sister　whom　Glyndon　had　so　long　neglected；　and　whom
  he　now　so　cordially　welcomed。　　Adela　had　passed　many　years　a
  victim　to　the　caprices；　and　a　nurse　to　the　maladies；　of　a　selfish
  and　exacting　relation。　　The　delicate　and　generous　and　respectful
  affection　of　her　brother　was　no　less　new　to　her　than　delightful。
  He　took　pleasure　in　the　happiness　he　created；　he　gradually　weaned
  himself　from　other　society；　he　felt　the　charm　of　home。　　It　is　not
  surprising；　then；　that　this　young　creature；　free　and　virgin　from
  every　more　ardent　attachment；　concentrated　all　her　grateful　love
  on　this　cherished　and　protecting　relative。　　Her　study　by　day；　her
  dream　by　night；　was　to　repay　him　for　his　affection。　　She　was
  proud　of　his　talents；　devoted　to　his　welfare；　the　smallest　trifle
  that　could　interest　him　swelled　in　her　eyes　to　the　gravest
  affairs　of　life。　　In　short；　all　the　long…hoarded　enthusiasm；
  which　was　her　perilous　and　only　heritage；　she　invested　in　this
  one　object　of　her　holy　tenderness；　her　pure　ambition。
  But　in　proportion　as　Glyndon　shunned　those　excitements　by　which
  he　had　so　long　sought　to　occupy　his　time　or　distract　his
  thoughts；　the　gloom　of　his　calmer　hours　became　deeper　and　more
  continuous。　　He　ever　and　especially　dreaded　to　be　alone；　he　could
  not　bear　his　new　companion　to　be　absent　from　his　eyes：　　he　rode
  with　her；　walked　with　her；　and　it　was　with　visible　reluctance；
  which　almost　partook　of　horror；　that　he　retired　to　rest　at　an
  hour　when　even　revel　grows　fatigued。　　This　gloom　was　not　that
  which　could　be　called　by　the　soft　name　of　melancholy；it　was　far
  more　intense；　it　seemed　rather　like　despair。　　Often　after　a
  silence　as　of　deathso　heavy；　abstracted；　motionless；　did　it
  appearhe　would　start　abruptly；　and　cast　hurried　glances　around
  him；his　limbs　trembling；　his　lips　livid；　his　brows　bathed　in
  dew。　　Convinced　that　some　secret　sorrow　preyed　upon　his　mind；　and
  would　consume　his　health；　it　was　the　dearest　as　the　most　natural
  desire　of　Adela　to　become　his　confidant　and　consoler。　　She
  observed；　with　the　quick　tact　of　the　delicate；　that　he　disliked
  her　to　seem　affected　by；　or　even　sensible　of；　his　darker　moods。
  She　schooled　herself　to　suppress　her　fears　and　her　feelings。　　She
  would　not　ask　his　confidence；she　sought　to　steal　into　it。　　By
  little　and　little　she　felt　that　she　was　succeeding。　　Too　wrapped
  in　his　own　strange　existence　to　be　acutely　observant　of　the
  character　of　others；　Glyndon　mistook　the　self…content　of　a
  generous　and　humble　affection　for　constitutional　fortitude；　and
  this　quality　pleased　and　soothed　him。　　It　is　fortitude　that　the
  diseased　mind　requires　in　the　confidant　whom　it　selects　as　its
  physician。　　And　how　irresistible　is　that　desire　to　communicate！
  How　often　the　lonely　man　thought　to　himself；　〃My　heart　would　be
  lightened　of　its　misery；　if　once　confessed！〃　　He　felt；　too；　that
  in　the　very　youth；　the　inexperience；　the　poetical　temperament　of
  Adela；　he　could　find　one　who　would　comprehend　and　bear　with　him
  better　than　any　sterner　and　more　practical　nature。　　Mervale　would
  have　looked　on　his　revelations　as　the　ravings　of　madness；　and
  most　men；　at　best；　as　the　sicklied　chimeras；　the　optical
  delusions；　of　disease。　　Thus　gradually　preparing　himself　for　that
  relief　for　which　he　yearned；　the　moment　for　his　disclosure
  arrived　thus：
  One　evening；　as　they　sat　alone　together；　Adela；　who　inherited
  some　portion　of　her　brother's　talent　in　art；　was　employed　in
  drawing；　and　Glyndon；　rousing　himself　from　meditations　less
  gloomy　than　usual；　rose；　and　affectionately　passing　his　arm　round
  her　waist；　looked　over　her　as　she　sat。　　An　exclamation　of　dismay
  broke　from　his　lips；he　snatched　the　drawing　from　her　hand：
  〃What　are　you　about？what　portrait　is　this？〃
  〃Dear　Clarence；　do　you　not　remember　the　original？it　is　a　copy
  from　that　portrait　of　our　wise　ancestor　which　our　poor　mother
  used　to　say　so　strongly　resembled　you。　　I　thought　it　would　please
  you　if　I　copied　it　from　memory。〃
  〃Accursed　was　the　likeness！〃　said　Glyndon；　gloomily。　　〃Guess　you
  not　the　reason　why　I　have　shunned　to　return　to　the　home　of　my
  fathers！because　I　dreaded　to　meet　that　portrait！because
  becausebut　pardon　me；　I　alarm　you！〃
  〃Ah；　no；no；　Clarence；　you　never　alarm　me　when　you　speak：　　only
  when　you　are　silent！　　Oh；　if　you　thought　me　worthy　of　your　trust；
  oh；　if　you　had　given　me　the　right　to　reason　with　you　in　the
  sorrows　that　I　yearn　to　share！〃
  Glyndon　made　no　answer；　but　paced　the　room　for　some　moments　with
  disordered　strides。　　He　stopped　at　last；　and　gazed　at　her
  earnestly。　　〃Yes；　you；　too；　are　his　descendant；　you　know　that
  such　men　have　lived　and　suffered；　you　will　not　mock　me；　you
  will　not　disbelieve！　　Listen！　hark！what　sound　is　that？〃
  〃But　the　wind　on　the　house…top；　Clarence；but　the　wind。〃
  〃Give　me　your　hand；　let　me　feel　its　living　clasp；　and　when　I　have
  told　you；　never　revert　to　the　tale　again。　　Conceal　it　from　all：
  swear　that　it　shall　die　with　us；the　last　of　our　predestined
  race！〃
  〃Never　will　I　betray　your　trust；　I　swear　it；never！〃　said　Adela；
  firmly；　and　she　drew　closer　to　his　side。　　Then　Glyndon　commenced
  his　story。　　That　which；　perhaps；　in　writing；　and　to　minds
  prepared　to　question　and　disbelieve；　may　seem　cold　and
  terrorless；　became　far　different　when　told　by　those　blanched
  lips；　with　all　that　truth　of　suffering　which　convinces　and
  appalls。　　Much；　indeed；　he　concealed；　much　he　involuntarily
  softened；　but　he　revealed　enough　to　make　his　tale　intelligible
  and　distinct　to　his　pale　and　trembling　listener。　　〃At　daybreak；〃
  he　said；　〃I　left　that　unhallowed　and　abhorred　abode。　　I　had　one
  hope　still；I　would　seek　Mejnour　through　the　world。　　I　would
  force　him　to　lay　at　rest　the　fiend　that　haunted　my　soul。　　With
  this　intent　I　journeyed　from　city　to　city。　　I　instituted　the　most
  vigilant　researches　through　the　police　of　Italy。　　I　even　employed
  the　services　of　the　Inquisition　at　Rome；　which　had　lately
  asserted　its　ancient　powers　in　the　trial　of　the　less　dangerous
  Cagliostro。　　All　was　in　vain；　not　a　trace　of　him　could　be
  discovered。　　I　was　not　alone；　Adela。〃　　Here　Glyndon　paused　a
  moment；　as　if　embarrassed；　for　in　his　recital；　I　need　scarcely
  say　that　he　had　only　indistinctly　alluded　to　Fillide；　whom　the
  reader　may　surmise　to　be　his　companion。　　〃I　was　not　alone；　but
  the　associate　of　my　wanderings　was　not　one　in　whom　my　soul　could
  confide；faithful　and　affectionate；　but　without　education；
  without　faculties　to　comprehend　me；　with　natural　instincts　rather
  than　cultivated　reason；　one　in　whom　the　heart　might　lean　in　its
  careless　hours；　but　with　whom　the　mind　could　have　no　commune；　in
  whom　the　bewildered　spirit　could　seek　no　guide。　　Yet　in　the
  society　of　this　person　the　demon　troubled　me　not。　　Let　me　explain
  yet　more　fully　the　dread　conditions　of　its　presence。　　In　coarse
  excitement；　in　commonplace　life；　in　the　wild　riot；　in　the　fierce
  excess；　in　the　torpid　lethargy　of　that　animal　existence　which　we
  share　with　the　brutes；　its　eyes　were　invisible；　its　whisper　was
  unheard。　　But　whenever　the　soul　would　aspire；　whenever　the
  imagination　kindled　to　the　loftier　ends；　whenever　the
  consciousness　of　our　proper　destiny　struggled　against　the
  unworthy　life　I　pursued；　then；　Adelathen；　it　cowered　by　my　side
  in　the　light　of　noon；　or　sat　by　my　bed；a　Darkness　visible
  through　the　Dark。　　If；　in　the　galleries　of　Divine　Art；　the　dreams
  of　my　youth　woke　the　early　emulation；if　I　turned　to　the
  thoughts　of　sages；　if　the　example　of　the　great；　if　the　converse
  of　the　wise；　aroused　the　silenced　intellect；　the　demon　was　with
  me　as　by　a　spell。　　At　last；　one　evening；　at　Genoa；　to　which　city
  I　had　travelled　in　pursuit　of　the　mystic；　suddenly；　and　when
  least　expected；　he　appeared　before　me。　　It　was　the　time　of　the
  Carnival。　　It　was　in　one　of　those　half…frantic　scenes　of　noise
  and　revel；　call　it　not　gayety；　which　establish　a　heathen
  saturnalia　in　the　midst　of　a　Christian　festival。　　Wearied　with
  the　dance；　I　had　entered　a　room　in　which　several　revellers　were
  seated；　drinking；　singing；　shouting；　and　in　their　fantastic
  dresses　and　hideous　masks；　their　orgy　seemed　scarcely　human。　　I
  placed　myself　amongst　them；　and　in　that　fearful　exciteme