se　from　my　anxiety　to　have　everything　explained　to　her　honour：　my　conduct　shewed　that　I　had　that　at　heart；　and　that　I　built　on　the　purity　of　her　character　as　on　a　rock。　　My　esteem　for　her　amounted　to　adoration。　　〃She　did　not　want　adoration。〃　　It　was　only　when　any　thing　happened　to　imply　that　I　had　been　mistaken；　that　I　committed　any　extravagance；　because　I　could　not　bear　to　think　her　short　of　perfection。　　〃She　was　far　from　perfection；〃　she　replied；　with　an　air　and　manner　（oh；　my　God！）　as　near　it　as　possible。　　〃How　could　she　accuse　me　of　a　want　of　regard　to　her？　　It　was　but　the　other　day；　Sarah；〃　I　said　to　her；　〃when　that　little　circumstance　of　the　books　happened；　and　I　fancied　the　expressions　your　sister　dropped　proved　the　sincerity　of　all　your　kindness　to　meyou　don't　know　how　my　heart　melted　within　me　at　the　thought；　that　after　all；　I　might　be　dear　to　you。　　New　hopes　sprung　up　in　my　heart；　and　I　felt　as　Adam　must　have　done　when　his　Eve　was　created　for　him！〃　　〃She　had　heard　enough　of　that　sort　of　conversation；〃　（moving　towards　the　door）。　　This；　I　own；　was　the　unkindest　cut　of　all。　　I　had；　in　that　case；　no　hopes　whatever。　　I　felt　that　I　had　expended　words　in　vain；　and　that　the　conversation　below　stairs　（which　I　told　you　of　when　I　saw　you）　had　spoiled　her　taste　for　mine。　　If　the　allusion　had　been　classical　I　should　have　been　to　blame；　but　it　was　scriptural；　it　was　a　sort　of　religious　courtship；　and　Miss　L。　is　religious！
  At　once　he　took　his　Muse　and　dipt　her　Right　in　the　middle　of　the　Scripture。
  It　would　not　dothe　lady　could　make　neither　head　nor　tail　of　it。　　This　is　a　poor　attempt　at　levity。　　Alas！　I　am　sad　enough。　　〃Would　she　go　and　leave　me　so？　　If　it　was　only　my　own　behaviour；　I　still　did　not　doubt　of　success。　　I　knew　the　sincerity　of　my　love；　and　she　would　be　convinced　of　it　in　time。　　If　that　was　all；　I　did　not　care：　but　tell　me　true；　is　there　not　a　new　attachment　that　is　the　real　cause　of　your　estrangement？　　Tell　me；　my　sweet　friend；　and　before　you　tell　me；　give　me　your　hand　（nay；　both　hands）　that　I　may　have　something　to　support　me　under　the　dreadful　conviction。〃　　She　let　me　take　her　hands　in　mine；　saying；　〃She　supposed　there　could　be　no　objection　to　that；〃as　if　she　acted　on　the　suggestions　of　others；　instead　of　following　her　own　willbut　still　avoided　giving　me　any　answer。　　I　conjured　her　to　tell　me　the　worst；　and　kill　me　on　the　spot。　　Any　thing　was　better　than　my　present　state。　　I　said；　〃Is　it　Mr。　C…？〃　　She　smiled；　and　said　with　gay　indifference；　〃Mr。　C…　was　here　a　very　short　time。〃　　〃Well；　then；　was　it　Mr。　…？〃　　She　hesitated；　and　then　replied　faintly；　〃No。〃　　This　was　a　mere　trick　to　mislead；　one　of　the　profoundnesses　of　Satan；　in　which　she　is　an　adept。　　〃But；〃　she　added　hastily；　〃she　could　make　no　more　confidences。〃　　〃Then；〃　said　I；　〃you　have　something　to　communicate。〃　　〃No；　but　she　had　once　mentioned　a　thing　of　the　sort；　which　I　had　hinted　to　her　mother；　though　it　signified　little。〃　　All　this　while　I　was　in　tortures。　　Every　word；　every　half…denial；　stabbed　me。　　〃Had　she　any　tie？〃　　〃No；　I　have　no　tie！〃　　〃You　are　not　going　to　be　married　soon？〃　　〃I　don't　intend　ever　to　marry　at　all！〃　　〃Can't　you　be　friends　with　me　as　of　old？〃　　〃She　could　give　no　promises。〃　　〃Would　she　make　her　own　terms？〃　　〃She　would　make　none。〃〃I　was　sadly　afraid　the　LITTLE　IMAGE　was　dethroned　from　her　heart；　as　I　had　dashed　it　to　the　ground　the　other　night。〃〃She　was　neither　desperate　nor　violent。〃　　I　did　not　answer〃But　deliberate　and　deadly；〃though　I　might；　and　so　she　vanished　in　this　running　fight　of　question　and　answer；　in　spite　of　my　vain　efforts　to　detain　her。　　The　cockatrice；　I　said；　mocks　me：　so　she　has　always　done。　　The　thought　was　a　dagger　to　me。　　My　head　reeled；　my　heart　recoiled　within　me。　　I　was　stung　with　scorpions；　my　flesh　crawled；　I　was　choked　with　rage；　her　scorn　scorched　me　like　flames；　her　air　（her　heavenly　air）　withdrawn　from　me；　stifled　me；　and　left　me　gasping　for　breath　and　being。　　It　was　a　fable。　　She　started　up　in　her　own　likeness；　a　serpent　in　place　of　a　woman。　　She　had　fascinated；　she　had　stung　me；　and　had　returned　to　her　proper　shape；　gliding　from　me　after　inflicting　the　mortal　wound；　and　instilling　deadly　poison　into　every　pore；　but　her　form　lost　none　of　its　original　brightness　by　the　change　of　character；　but　was　all　glittering；　beauteous；　voluptuous　grace。　　Seed　of　the　serpent　or　of　the　woman；　she　was　divine！　　I　felt　that　she　was　a　witch；　and　had　bewitched　me。　　Fate　had　enclosed　me　round　about。　　_I_　was　transformed　too；　no　longer　human　（any　more　than　she；　to　whom　I　had　knit　myself）　my　feelings　were　marble；　my　blood　was　of　molten　lead；　my　thoughts　on　fire。　　I　was　taken　out　of　myself；　wrapt　into　another　sphere；　far　from　the　light　of　day；　of　hope；　of　love。　　I　had　no　natural　affection　left；　she　had　slain　me；　but　no　other　thing　had　power　over　me。　　Her　arms　embraced　another；　but　her　mock…embrace；　the　phantom　of　her　love；　still　bound　me；　and　I　had　not　a　wish　to　escape。　　So　I　felt　then；　and　so　perhaps　shall　feel　till　I　grow　old　and　die；　nor　have　any　desire　that　my　years　should　last　longer　than　they　are　linked　in　the　chain　of　those　amorous　folds；　or　than　her　enchantments　steep　my　soul　in　oblivion　of　all　other　things！　　I　started　to　find　myself　alonefor　ever　alone；　without　a　creature　to　love　me。　　I　looked　round　the　room　for　help；　I　saw　the　tables；　the　chairs；　the　places　where　she　stood　or　sat；　empty；　deserted；　dead。　　I　could　not　stay　where　I　was；　I　had　no　one　to　go　to　but　to　the　parent…mischief；　the　preternatural　hag；　that　had　〃drugged　this　posset〃　of　her　daughter's　charms　and　falsehood　for　me；　and　I　went　down　and　（such　was　my　weakness　and　helplessness）　sat　with　her　for　an　hour；　and　talked　with　her　of　her　daughter；　and　the　sweet　days　we　had　passed　together；　and　said　I　thought　her　a　good　girl；　and　believed　that　if　there　was　no　rival；　she　still　had　a　regard　for　me　at　the　bottom　of　her　heart；　and　how　I　liked　her　all　the　better　for　her　coy；　maiden　airs：　and　I　received　the　assurance　over　and　over　that　there　was　no　one　else；　and　that　Sarah　（they　all　knew）　never　staid　five　minutes　with　any　other　lodger；　while　with　me　she　would　stay　by　the　hour　together；　in　spite　of　all　her　father　could　say　to　her　（what　were　her　motives；　was　best　known　to　herself！）　and　while　we　were　talking　of　her；　she　came　bounding　into　the　room；　smiling　with　smothered　delight　at　the　consummation　of　my　folly　and　her　own　art；　and　I　asked　her　mother　whether　she　thought　she　looked　as　if　she　hated　me；　and　I　took　her　wrinkled；　withered；　cadaverous；　clammy　hand　at　parting；　and　kissed　it。　　Faugh！
  I　will　make　an　end　of　this　story；　there　is　something　in　it　discordant　to　honest　ears。　　I　left　the　house　the　next　day；　and　returned　to　Scotland　in　a　state　so　near　to　phrenzy；　that　I　take　it　the　shades　sometimes　ran　into　one　another。　　R　met　me　the　day　after　I　arrived；　and　will　tell　you　the　way　I　was　in。　　I　was　like　a　person　in　a　high　fever；　only　mine　was　in　the　mind　instead　of　the　body。　　It　had　the　same　irritating；　uncomfortable　effect　on　the　bye…standers。　　I　was　incapable　of　any　application；　and　don't　know　what　I　should　have　done；　had　it　not　been　for　the　kindness　of　…。　　I　came　to　see　you；　to　〃bestow　some　of　my　tediousness　upon　you；〃　but　you　were　gone　from　home。　　Everything　went　on　well　as　to　the　law　business；　and　as　it　approached　to　a　conclusion；　I　wrote　to　my　good　friend　P　to　go　to　M；　who　had　married　her　sister；　and　ask　him　if　it　would　be　worth　my　while　to　make　her　a　formal　offer；　as　soon　as　I　was　free；　as；　with　the　least　encouragement；　I　was　ready　to　throw　myself　at　her　feet；　and　to　know；　in　case　of　refusal；　whether　I　might　go　back　there　and　be　treated　as　an　old　friend。　　Not　a　word　of　answer　could　be　got　from　her　on　either　point；　notwithstanding　every　importunity　and　intreaty；　but　it　was　the　opinion　of　M　that　I　might　go　and　try　my　fortune。　　I　did　so　with　joy；　with　something　like　confidence。　　I　thought　her　giving　no　positive　answer　implied　a　chance；　at　least；　of　the　reversion　of　her　favour；　in　case　I　behaved　well。　　All　was　false；　hollow；　insidious。　　The　first　night　after　I　got　home；　I　slept　on　down。　　In　Scotland；　the　flint　had　been　my　pillow。　　But　now　I　slept　under　the　same　roof　with　her。　　What　softness；　what　balmy　repose　in　the　very　thought！　　I　saw　her　that　same　day　and　shook　hands　with　her；　and　told　her　how　glad　I　was　to　see　her；　and　she　was　kind　and　comfortable；　though　still　cold　and　distant。　　Her　manner　was　altered　from　what　it　was　the　last　time。　　She　still　absented　herself　from　the　room；　but　was　mild　and　affable　when　she　did　come。　　She　was　pale；　dejected；　evidently　uneasy　about　something；　and　had　been　ill。　　I　thought　it　was　perhaps　her　reluctance　to　yield　to　my　wishes；　her　pity　for　what　I　suffered；　and　that　in　the　struggle　between　both；　she　did　not　know　what　to　do。　　How　I　worshipped　her　at　these　moments！　　We　had　a　long　interview　the　third　day；　and　I　thought　all　was　doing　well。　　I　found　her　sitting　at　work　in　the　window…seat　of　the　front　parlour；　and　on　my　asking　if　I　might　come　in；　she　made　no　objection。　　I　sat　down　by　her；　she　let　me　take　her　hand；　I　talked　to　her　of　indifferent　things；　and　of　old　times。　　I　asked　her　if　she　would　put　some　new　frills　on　my　shirts？…〃With　the　greatest　pleasure。〃　　If　she　could　get　THE　LITTLE　IMAGE　mended？　　〃It　was　broken　in　three　pieces；　and　the　sword　was　g