'
So Lady Knollys argued, with feminine energy, and I must confess, with a
good deal of the repetition which I have sometimes observed in logicians of
my own sex, and she puzzled without satisfying me.
'I don't know why I went to that room,' I said, quite frightened; 'or why I
went to that press; how it happened that these papers, which we never saw
there before, were the first things to strike my eye to-day.'
'What do you mean, dear?' said Lady Knollys.
'I mean this--I think I was _brought_ there, and that _there_ is poor
papa's appeal to me, as plain as if his hand came and wrote it upon the
wall.' I nearly screamed the conclusion of this wild confession.
'You are nervous, my darling; your bad nights have worn you out. Let us go
out; the air will do you good; and I do assure you that you will very soon
see that we are quite right, and rejoice conscientiously that you have
acted as you did.'
But I was not to be satisfied, although my first vehemence was quieted. In
my prayers that night my conscience upbraided me. When I lay down in bed
my nervousness returned fourfold. Everybody at all nervously excitable
has suffered some time or another by the appearance of ghastly features
presenting themselves in every variety of contortion, one after another,
the moment the eyes are closed.
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