weep; my daughter, child, for, without a figure,
thou art my daughter; art, to the very letter, love,
my child. Oh, we have much to tell each other; see
what I have done -- but hear me, then condemn me.
Oh, Amanda, it is bliss to see, to feel thee here; --
but here, here in this breast is sadness. I have been
a rash and hasty fool, a madman, if you will, but no,
no murderer; we kill mere vermin, we exterminate
rats, roaches; and what worse than that is this which
I have done. Pshaw, he was a reptile, a black beetle
that came flying against me. He, my son! Oh,
slander, where wilt thou not cast thy slime? the thing
that the deceitful, wily woman palmed upon me, he
my son, thy brother? preposterous conception. Yet
sad has been the creature's end; and sad, sad, sad,
I felt this morning when I left my home, with a pre-
sentiment which seemed to say, that I should never
enter it again; and that presentiment is now ful-
filled. Fate urged me on. Unnatural hate has pushed
me to the ledge, and now I sink to lose myself in
the abyss. Oh, foul fate! this deed foul, foul! Fair,
fair Amanda, close thine eyes on this enormity; or
be content to see it, yet not understand it, for know-
ledge here would surely drive thee mad."

"Oh, sir, am I not mad, delirious?" enquired
Amanda: "Oh, my kind guardian, my good angel,
more than father, friend. What have you done?
you have done nothing evil!" and she sobbed upon
his bosom, and Claude stood transfixed and silent,
until his eyes meeting those of the advocate, he
demanded passionately:

"Sir, what may this mean; what horrible allusions
drop like venom from your tongue; whence comes

[[121]]

p120 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p121w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p122

v?