You must know what I am alluding to; you must have heard often that I was engaged to be married ?" "Yes, often.

I have some acquaintance myself with Miss Elmslie." "You never can know all that she has sacrificed for me--never can imagine what I have felt for years and years past"-- his voice trembled, and the tears came into his eyes--"but I dare not trust myself to speak of that; the thought of the old happy days in the Abbey almost breaks my heart now.

Let me get back to the other subject.

I must tell you that I kept the frightful vision which pursued me, at all times and in all places, a secret from everybody, knowing the vile reports about my having inherited madness from my family, and fearing that an unfair advantage would be taken of any confession that I might make.

Though the phantom always stood opposite to me, and therefore always appeared either before or by the side of any person to whom I spoke, I soon schooled myself to hide from others that I was looking at it except on rare occasions, when I have perhaps betrayed myself to you.