Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

“OH! I CANNOT! I CANNOT !” 197 She had the appearance of a somnambulist. Dick feared to startle her by an abrupt word or movement, so he still kept silence. First, she took up a glass and filled it with water froma decanter; then her fingers closed upon the vial, which she slowly pulled toward her. Once more the invalid groaned restlessly, and at the sound she started nervously, but all becoming quiet again, she drew the cork with feverish haste, an unnatural light glowing in her eyes. The strangeness of her manner caused a nameless dread to flash across Dick’s brain, and a horrible fascina- tion compelled his gaze and held him breathless while she rapidly dropped the liquid into the goblet. Nine drops fell from the bottle—ten, and then, after a slight hesitation, four—six more, followed. Yet another inarticulate moan issued from the couch and caused her to lift her face, each feature of which expressed over-power- ing excitement; each line horrible tension. A numbness appeared to have seized Dick’s limbs; he could neither move nor speak. ‘‘Gertrude, some water, darling.’”’ Seizing the glass convulsively, she started across the room, the same wild, unearthly look on her face—it was like the expression of one laboring in the throes of a hide- ous dream. Powerless with apprehension, Dick stood rooted to the spot. With stealthy steps, she approached nearer and nearer the sofa, until she was but a few feet away from Dick, who feared she must hear the thumping of his heart against his ribs. All at once her hand faltered, the fingers unclasped them- selves, allowing the glass to fall to the floor, and she stag- gered back, crying, with a low moan: CO RNIElOOO KS,EO)