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〃The fair sat panting at a courtier's play；
And not a mask went unimproved away。〃
。 。 。 。 。
It was that memorable night； when； according to the history of the
veteran Betterton；* Mrs。 Barry； who personated Roxana； had a green…
room squabble with Mrs。 Bowtell； the representative of Statira；
about a veil； which the partiality of the property man adjudged to
the latter。 Roxana suppressed her rage till the fifth act； when；
stabbing Statira； she aimed the blow with such force as to pierce
through her stays； and inflict a severe though not dangerous wound。
Mrs。 Bowtell fainted； the performance was suspended； and； in the
commotion which this incident caused in the house； many of the
audience rose； and Stanton among them。 It was at this moment that；
in a seat opposite to him； he discovered the object of his search
for four years；the Englishman whom he had met in the plains of
Valencia； and whom he believed the same with the subject of the
extraordinary narrative he had heard there。
* Vide Betterton's History of the Stage。
He was standing up。 There was nothing particular or remarkable in
his appearance； but the expression of his eyes could never be
mistaken or forgotten。 The heart of Stanton palpitated with
violence；a mist overspread his eye；a nameless and deadly
sickness； accompanied with a creeping sensation in every pore； from
which cold drops were gushing； announced the。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。
Before he had well recovered； a strain of music； soft； solemn； and
delicious； breathed round him； audibly ascending from the ground；
and increasing in sweetness and power till it seemed to fill the
whole building。 Under the sudden impulse of amazement and
pleasure； he inquired of some around him from whence those
exquisite sounds arose。 But； by the manner in which he was
answered； it was plain that those he addressed considered him
insane； and； indeed； the remarkable change in his expression might
well justify the suspicion。 He then remembered that night in
Spain； when the same sweet and mysterious sounds were heard only by
the young bridegroom and bride； of whom the latter perished on that
very night。 〃And am I then to be the next victim？〃 thought
Stanton； 〃and are those celestial sounds； that seem to prepare us
for heaven； only intended to announce the presence of an incarnate
fiend； who mocks the devoted with 'airs from heaven；' while he
prepares to surround them with 'blasts from hell'？〃 It is very
singular that at this moment； when his imagination had reached its
highest pitch of elevation；when the object he had pursued so long
and fruitlessly； had in one moment become as it were tangible to
the grasp both of mind and body；when this spirit； with whom he
had wrestled in darkness； was at last about to declare its name；
that Stanton began to feel a kind of disappointment at the futility
of his pursuits； like Bruce at discovering the source of the Nile；
or Gibbon on concluding his History。 The feeling which he had
dwelt on so long； that he had actually converted it into a duty；
was after all mere curiosity； but what passion is more insatiable；
or more capable of giving a kind of romantic grandeur to all its
wanderings and eccentricities？ Curiosity is in one respect like
love； it always compromises between the object and the feeling； and
provided the latter possesses sufficient energy； no matter how
contemptible the former may be。 A child might have smiled at the
agitation of Stanton； caused as it was by the accidental appearance
of a stranger； but no man； in the full energy of his passions； was
there； but must have trembled at the horrible agony of emotion with
which he felt approaching； with sudden and irresistible velocity；
the crisis of his destiny。
When the play was over； he stood for some moments in the deserted
streets。 It was a beautiful moonlight night； and he saw near him a
figure； whose shadow； projected half across the street （there were
no flagged ways then； chains and posts were the only defense of the
foot passenger）； appeared to him of gigantic magnitude。 He had
been so long accustomed to contend with these phantoms of the
imagination； that he took a kind of stubborn delight in subduing
them。 He walked up to the object； and observing the shadow only
was magnified； and the figure was the ordinary height of man； he
approached it； and discovered the very object of his search；the
man whom he had seen for a moment in Valencia； and； after a search
of four years； recognized at the theater。
。 。 。 。 。
〃You were in quest of me？〃〃I was。〃 〃Have you anything to inquire
of me？〃〃Much。〃 〃Speak； then。〃〃This is no place。〃 〃No place！
poor wretch； I am independent of time and place。 Speak； if you
have anything to ask or to learn。〃〃I have many things to ask； but
nothing to learn； I hope； from you。〃 〃You deceive yourself； but
you will be undeceived when next we meet。〃〃And when shall that
be？〃 said Stanton； grasping his arm； 〃name your hour and your
place。〃 〃The hour shall be midday；〃 answered the stranger； with a
horrid and unintelligible smile； 〃and the place shall be the bare
walls of a madhouse； where you shall rise rattling in your chains；
and rustling from your straw； to greet me；yet still you shall
have THE CURSE OF SANITY； and of memory。 My voice shall ring in
your ears till then； and the glance of these eyes shall be
reflected from every object； animate or inanimate； till you behold
them again。〃〃Is it under circumstances so horrible we are to meet
again？〃 said Stanton； shrinking under the full…lighted blaze of
those demon eyes。 〃I never；〃 said the stranger； in an emphatic
tone；〃I never desert my friends in misfortune。 When they are
plunged in the lowest abyss of human calamity； they are sure to be
visited by me。〃
。 。 。 。 。
The narrative； when Melmoth was again able to trace its
continuation； described Stanton； some years after； plunged in a
state the most deplorable。
He had been always reckoned of a singular turn of mind； and the
belief of this； aggravated by his constant talk of Melmoth； his
wild pursuit of him； his strange behavior at the theater； and his
dwelling on the various particulars of their extraordinary
meetings； with all the intensity of the deepest conviction （while
he never could impress them on any one's conviction but his own）；
suggested to some prudent people the idea that he was deranged。
Their malignity probably took part with their prudence。 The
selfish Frenchman* says； we feel a pleasure even in the misfortunes
of our friends；a plus forte in those of our enemies； and as
everyone is an enemy to a man of genius of course； the report of
Stanton's malady was propagated with infernal and successful
industry。 Stanton's next relative； a needy unprincipled man；
watched the report in its circulation； and saw the snares closing
round his victim。 He waited on him one morning； accompanied by a
person of a grave； though somewhat repulsive appearance。 Stanton
was as usual abstracted and restless； and； after a few momen