Wyatt had engaged passage for
his wife, it became necessary that some person should personate her
during the voyage. This the deceased lady's-maid was easily
prevailed on to do. The extra state-room, originally engaged for
this girl during her mistress' life, was now merely retained. In
this state-room the pseudo-wife, slept, of course, every night. In
the daytime she performed, to the best of her ability, the part of
her mistress--whose person, it had been carefully ascertained, was
unknown to any of the passengers on board.
My own mistake arose, naturally enough, through too careless, too
inquisitive, and too impulsive a temperament. But of late, it is a
rare thing that I sleep soundly at night. There is a countenance
which haunts me, turn as I will. There is an hysterical laugh
which will forever ring within my ears.
The Gold-Bug
What ho! what ho! this fellow is dancing mad!
He hath been bitten by the Tarantula.
--All in the Wrong.
Many years ago, I contracted an intimacy with a Mr. William
Legrand. He was of an ancient Huguenot family, and had once been
wealthy: but a series of misfortunes had reduced him to want.
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