Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 349: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

288 Pickwick Abroad. that I had caused—though indirectly—the death of him who would willingly have given his life to save mine, was maddening in the ex- treme. My poor aunt trembled for my reason, and did every thing in her power to console me. But, alas! a malignant fever seized upon her—its inroads were rapid as they were fatal—and in a few days she was consigned to the tomb! And there was I left—alone—in a foreign land—without a relative —without a friend. And I saw others happy in their domestic circles —and I heard of felicitous marriages—and I was an orphan—and © alone! Oh! then all the misery of my wretched position was most acutely felt. A dangerous illness overtook me—and I was confined to my bed. I remember seeing the physicians enter my chamber, examine my pulse, shake their heads, and retreat to the farther end of the room, and consult in whispers. I remember that my head was shaved—Oh ! this I remember—and 1 knew that I was going mad. And then a species of terrible resignation—or rather, absolute indifference, took possession of me—and I said within myself, ‘‘'The last glow of reason is fast expiring !’’ £ From that moment I recollect nothing until I was again convales- ~— cent. ) . ‘I awoke—as it were from a long, long sleep—-and from a sad, sa dream—and my bed was surrounded by strangers. coke ‘“‘ Hush!’ said an elderly lady, stepping forward and putting her fore-finger to her lips. ‘Repose yourself a little, my dear child— and you will soon be well.” | ‘<T have been very ill—have [ not?” was my first enquiry. __ “ Very—but you will soon be well,” answered a gentleman in black — apparel. He was a physician. | ‘‘Has my illness been long?” demanded I, endeavouring to sepa- rate the vague from the certain ideas which flitted across my brain, and ravel together a consecutive chain of events. ‘¢ Seven months,” replied the elderly female whom I subsequently found to be my nurse. | ‘““ Ah!’ said I,a strange thought suddenly strikmg me: and then a sentiment of cunning immediately prompted me to appear as calm and tranquil as possible. To effect this important aim, the greatest exertions and nerve were necessary: I was however successful in my endeavours; and in a few days was enabled to remove from the place where I was then located to apartments which my nurse chose for me at Saint Germain- en-laye. The noiseand bustle of Paris were deemed uncongenial with the existing state of my mind. | And, when I was once more my own mistress, the truth of all that passed, and which I had more or less surmised, was graduallybroken =_— to me; and I found, as I had suspected, that I had been the inmate i of a madhouse! For seven long months had I raved in the Salpe- triere: but, Oh! what strange things had taken place within those same walls, durg my unconsciousness of all that was passing around me! : Let me here pause for a moment, ere I detail the almost incredible events which so materilaly mterested my unhappy self! Gomichbooks.com