neglected fountain had overflowed, to the door of the house. It was
not opened immediately, in answer to the ringing of the bell, and
one of my two conductors struck the man who opened it, with his
heavy riding-glove, across the face.
“There was nothing in this action to attract my particular
attention, for I had seen common people struck more commonly
than dogs. But, the other of the two, being angry likewise, struck
the man in like manner with his arm; the look and bearing of the
brothers were then so exactly alike, that I then first perceived
them to be twin brothers.
“From the time of our alighting at the outer gate (which we
found locked, and which one of the brothers had opened to admit
us, and had relocked), I had heard cries proceeding from an upper
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chamber. I was conducted to this chamber straight, the cries
growing louder as we ascended the stairs, and I found a patient in
a high fever of the brain, lying on a bed.
“The patient was a woman of great beauty, and young;
assuredly not much past twenty. Her hair was torn and ragged,
and her arms were bound to her sides with sashes and
handkerchiefs. I noticed that these bonds were all portions of a
gentleman’s dress. On one of them, which was a fringed scarf for a
dress ceremony, I saw the armorial bearings of a Noble, and the