Page:Teleny, or The Reverse of the Medal, t. II.djvu/87

 nerves began to twitch, and a feeling of creepiness came over me.

"I felt distracted. I tossed about for some time; then, frightened lest I should grow mad, I got up, went stealthily to the dining-room and got a bottle of cognac, and returned to my bedchamber. I drank down about half a tumbler, and then went again to bed.

"Unaccustomed to such strong drinks I went off to sleep; but was it sleep?

"I awoke in the middle of the night, dreaming that Catherine, our maid, had accused me of having murdered her, and that I was about to be tried.

"I got up, poured myself another glass of spirits, and again found oblivion if not rest.

"On the morrow I again sent word to Teleny that I could not see him, although I longed to do so; but the day after that, seeing that I did not come to him as usual, he called upon me.

"Surprised at the physical and moral change which had come over me, he began to think that some mutual friend had been slandering him, so to reassure him, I—after much pressing and many