some　difficulty。　　It　seems　Stanton　was　now　in　England。
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  About　the　year　1677；　Stanton　was　in　London；　his　mind　still　full　of
  his　mysterious　countryman。　　This　constant　subject　of　his
  contemplations　had　produced　a　visible　change　in　his　exterior；his
  walk　was　what　Sallust　tells　us　of　Catiline's；his　were；　too；　the
  〃faedi　oculi。〃　　He　said　to　himself　every　moment；　〃If　I　could　but
  trace　that　being；　I　will　not　call　him　man；〃and　the　next　moment　he
  said；　〃and　what　if　I　could？〃　　In　this　state　of　mind；　it　is　singular
  enough　that　he　mixed　constantly　in　public　amusements；　but　it　is
  true。　　When　one　fierce　passion　is　devouring　the　soul；　we　feel　more
  than　ever　the　necessity　of　external　excitement；　and　our　dependence
  on　the　world　for　temporary　relief　increases　in　direct　proportion　to
  our　contempt　of　the　world　and　all　its　works。　　He　went　frequently　to
  the　theaters；　THEN　fashionable；　when
  〃The　fair　sat　panting　at　a　courtier's　play；
  And　not　a　mask　went　unimproved　away。〃
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  It　was　that　memorable　night；　when；　according　to　the　history　of　the
  veteran　Betterton；*　Mrs。　Barry；　who　personated　Roxana；　had　a　green…
  room　squabble　with　Mrs。　Bowtell；　the　representative　of　Statira；
  about　a　veil；　which　the　partiality　of　the　property　man　adjudged　to
  the　latter。　　Roxana　suppressed　her　rage　till　the　fifth　act；　when；
  stabbing　Statira；　she　aimed　the　blow　with　such　force　as　to　pierce
  through　her　stays；　and　inflict　a　severe　though　not　dangerous　wound。
  Mrs。　Bowtell　fainted；　the　performance　was　suspended；　and；　in　the
  commotion　which　this　incident　caused　in　the　house；　many　of　the
  audience　rose；　and　Stanton　among　them。　　It　was　at　this　moment　that；
  in　a　seat　opposite　to　him；　he　discovered　the　object　of　his　search
  for　four　years；the　Englishman　whom　he　had　met　in　the　plains　of
  Valencia；　and　whom　he　believed　the　same　with　the　subject　of　the
  extraordinary　narrative　he　had　heard　there。
  *　Vide　Betterton's　History　of　the　Stage。
  He　was　standing　up。　　There　was　nothing　particular　or　remarkable　in
  his　appearance；　but　the　expression　of　his　eyes　could　never　be
  mistaken　or　forgotten。　　The　heart　of　Stanton　palpitated　with
  violence；a　mist　overspread　his　eye；a　nameless　and　deadly
  sickness；　accompanied　with　a　creeping　sensation　in　every　pore；　from
  which　cold　drops　were　gushing；　announced　the。　。　。　。
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  Before　he　had　well　recovered；　a　strain　of　music；　soft；　solemn；　and
  delicious；　breathed　round　him；　audibly　ascending　from　the　ground；
  and　increasing　in　sweetness　and　power　till　it　seemed　to　fill　the
  whole　building。　　Under　the　sudden　impulse　of　amazement　and
  pleasure；　he　inquired　of　some　around　him　from　whence　those
  exquisite　sounds　arose。　　But；　by　the　manner　in　which　he　was
  answered；　it　was　plain　that　those　he　addressed　considered　him
  insane；　and；　indeed；　the　remarkable　change　in　his　expression　might
  well　justify　the　suspicion。　　He　then　remembered　that　night　in
  Spain；　when　the　same　sweet　and　mysterious　sounds　were　heard　only　by
  the　young　bridegroom　and　bride；　of　whom　the　latter　perished　on　that
  very　night。　　〃And　am　I　then　to　be　the　next　victim？〃　thought
  Stanton；　〃and　are　those　celestial　sounds；　that　seem　to　prepare　us
  for　heaven；　only　intended　to　announce　the　presence　of　an　incarnate
  fiend；　who　mocks　the　devoted　with　'airs　from　heaven；'　while　he
  prepares　to　surround　them　with　'blasts　from　hell'？〃　　It　is　very
  singular　that　at　this　moment；　when　his　imagination　had　reached　its
  highest　pitch　of　elevation；when　the　object　he　had　pursued　so　long
  and　fruitlessly；　had　in　one　moment　become　as　it　were　tangible　to
  the　grasp　both　of　mind　and　body；when　this　spirit；　with　whom　he
  had　wrestled　in　darkness；　was　at　last　about　to　declare　its　name；
  that　Stanton　began　to　feel　a　kind　of　disappointment　at　the　futility
  of　his　pursuits；　like　Bruce　at　discovering　the　source　of　the　Nile；
  or　Gibbon　on　concluding　his　History。　　The　feeling　which　he　had
  dwelt　on　so　long；　that　he　had　actually　converted　it　into　a　duty；
  was　after　all　mere　curiosity；　but　what　passion　is　more　insatiable；
  or　more　capable　of　giving　a　kind　of　romantic　grandeur　to　all　its
  wanderings　and　eccentricities？　　Curiosity　is　in　one　respect　like
  love；　it　always　compromises　between　the　object　and　the　feeling；　and
  provided　the　latter　possesses　sufficient　energy；　no　matter　how
  contemptible　the　former　may　be。　　A　child　might　have　smiled　at　the
  agitation　of　Stanton；　caused　as　it　was　by　the　accidental　appearance
  of　a　stranger；　but　no　man；　in　the　full　energy　of　his　passions；　was
  there；　but　must　have　trembled　at　the　horrible　agony　of　emotion　with
  which　he　felt　approaching；　with　sudden　and　irresistible　velocity；
  the　crisis　of　his　destiny。
  When　the　play　was　over；　he　stood　for　some　moments　in　the　deserted
  streets。　　It　was　a　beautiful　moonlight　night；　and　he　saw　near　him　a
  figure；　whose　shadow；　projected　half　across　the　street　（there　were
  no　flagged　ways　then；　chains　and　posts　were　the　only　defense　of　the
  foot　passenger）；　appeared　to　him　of　gigantic　magnitude。　　He　had
  been　so　long　accustomed　to　contend　with　these　phantoms　of　the
  imagination；　that　he　took　a　kind　of　stubborn　delight　in　subduing
  them。　　He　walked　up　to　the　object；　and　observing　the　shadow　only
  was　magnified；　and　the　figure　was　the　ordinary　height　of　man；　he
  approached　it；　and　discovered　the　very　object　of　his　search；the
  man　whom　he　had　seen　for　a　moment　in　Valencia；　and；　after　a　search
  of　four　years；　recognized　at　the　theater。
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  〃You　were　in　quest　of　me？〃〃I　was。〃　　〃Have　you　anything　to　inquire
  of　me？〃〃Much。〃　　〃Speak；　then。〃〃This　is　no　place。〃　　〃No　place！
  poor　wretch；　I　am　independent　of　time　and　place。　　Speak；　if　you
  have　anything　to　ask　or　to　learn。〃〃I　have　many　things　to　ask；　but
  nothing　to　learn；　I　hope；　from　you。〃　　〃You　deceive　yourself；　but
  you　will　be　undeceived　when　next　we　meet。〃〃And　when　shall　that
  be？〃　said　Stanton；　grasping　his　arm；　〃name　your　hour　and　your
  place。〃　　〃The　hour　shall　be　midday；〃　answered　the　stranger；　with　a
  horrid　and　unintelligible　smile；　〃and　the　place　shall　be　the　bare
  walls　of　a　madhouse；　where　you　shall　rise　rattling　in　your　chains；
  and　rustling　from　your　straw；　to　greet　me；yet　still　you　shall
  have　THE　CURSE　OF　SANITY；　and　of　memory。　　My　voice　shall　ring　in
  your　ears　till　then；　and　the　glance　of　these　eyes　shall　be
  reflected　from　every　object；　animate　or　inanimate；　till　you　behold
  them　again。〃〃Is　it　under　circumstances　so　horrible　we　are　to　meet
  again？〃　said　Stanton；　shrinking　under　the　full…lighted　blaze　of
  those　demon　eyes。　　〃I　never；〃　said　the　stranger；　in　an　emphatic
  tone；〃I　never　desert　my　friends　in　misfortune。　　When　they　are
  plunged　in　the　lowest　abyss　of　human　calamity；　they　are　sure　to　be
  visited　by　me。〃
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  The　narrative；　when　Melmoth　was　again　able　to　trace　its
  continuation；　described　Stanton；　some　years　after；　plunged　in　a
  state　the　most　deplorable。
  He　had　been　always　reckoned　of　a　singular　turn　of　mind；　and　the
  belief　of　this；　aggravated　by　his　constant　talk　of　Melmoth；　his
  wild　pursuit　of　him；　his　strange　behavior　at　the　theater；　and　his
  dwelling　on　the　various　particulars　of　their　extraordinary
  meetings；　with　all　the　intensity　of　the　deepest　conviction　（while
  he　never　could　impress　them　on　any　one's　conviction　but　his　own）；
  suggested　to　some　prudent　people　the　idea　that　he　was　deranged。
  Their　malignity　probably　took　part　with　their　prudence。　　The
  selfish　Frenchman*　says；　we　feel　a　pleasure　even　in　the　misfortunes
  of　our　friends；a　plus　forte　in　those　of　our　enemies；　and　as
  everyone　is　an　enemy　to　a　man　of　genius　of　course；　the　report　of
  Stanton's　malady　was　propagated　with　infernal　and　successful
  industry。　　Stanton's　next　relative；　a　needy　unprincipled　man；
  watched　the　report　in　its　circulation；　and　saw　the　snares　closing
  round　his　victim。　　He　waited　on　him　one　morning；　accompanied　by　a
  person　of　a　grave；　though　somewhat　repulsive　appearance。　　Stanton
  was　as　usual　abstracted　and　restless；　and；　after　a　few　moments'
  conversation；　he　proposed　a　drive　a　few　miles　out　of　London；　which
  he　said　would　revive　and　refresh　him。　　Stanton　objected；　on　account
  of　the　difficulty　of　getting　a　hackney　coach　（for　it　is　singular
  that　at　this　period　the　number　of　private　equipages；　though
  infinitely　fewer　than　they　are　now；　exceeded　the　number　of　hired
  ones）；　and　proposed　going　by　water。　　This；　however；　did　not　suit
  the　kinsman's　views；　and；　after　pretending　to　send　for　a　carriage
  （which　was　in　waiting　at　the　end　of　the　street）；　Stanton　and　his
  companions　entered　it；　and　drove　about　two　miles　out　of　London。
  *　Rochefoucauld。
  The　carriage　then　stopped。　　Come；　Cousin；〃　said　the　younger
  Stanton；〃come　and　view　a　purchase　I　have　made。〃　　Stanton　absently
  alighted；　and　follow