his married sisters-seated round his sitting-room fire, in melancholy silence. Mr- the apothecary, had just left, but was expected to return every moment, to meet me in consultation. My patient lay alone in his bed-room, asleep, and apparently better than he had been since his first seizure. He had had only one slight fit during the night; and though he had been a little delirious in the earlier part of the evening, he had been on the whole so calm and quiet, that his friends' apprehensions of insanity were beginning to subside; so he was left, as I said, alone; for the nurse, just before my arrival, had left her seat by his bedside for a few moments, thinking him " in a comfortable and easy nap," and was engaged, in a low whisper, conversing with the members of M's family who were in the sitting-room. Hearing such a report of my patient, I sate down quietly among his relations, determining not to disturb him, at least till the arrival of the apothecary. Thus were we engaged, questioning the nurse in an under tone, when a loud laugh from the bed-room suddenly silenced our whisperings, and turned us all pale. We started to our feet, with blank amazement in each countenance, scarcely crediting the evidence of our senses. Could it be M-? It must; there was none else in the room. What, then, was he laughing about?

While we were standing silently gazing on one another, with much agitation, the laugh was repeated, but longer and louder than before, accompanied with the sound of footsteps, now crossing the room-then, as if of one jumping! The ladies turned paler than before, and seemed scarcely able to stand. They sunk again into their chairs, gasping with terror. "Go in, nurse, and see what's the matter," said I, standing by the side of the younger of the ladies, whom I expected every instant to fall into my arms in a swoon.

"Doctor!-go in ?-I-I-I dare not!" stammered the nurse, pale as ashes, and trembling violently.

"Do you come here, then, and attend to Mrs —————,” said I, “and I will go in." The nurse staggered to my place, in a state not far removed from that of the lady whom she was called to attend; for a third laugh,

long, loud, uproarious,-had burst from the room while I was speaking. After cautioning the ladies and the nurse to observe profound silence,and not to attempt following me, till I sent for them, I stepped noiselessly to the bed-room door, and opened it slowly and softly, not to alarm him. All was silent within; but the first object that presented itself when I saw fairly into the room, can never be effaced from my mind to the day of my death. Mr M had got out of bed, pulled off his shirt, and stepped to the dressing-table, where he stood stark-naked before the glass, with a razor in his right hand, with which he had just finished shaving off his eyebrows; and he was eyeing himself steadfastly in the glass, holding the razor elevated above his head. On seeing the door open, and my face peering at him, he turned full towards me-(the grotesque aspect of his countenance denuded of so prominent a feature as the eyebrows, and his head completely shaved, and the wild fire of madness flashing from his staring eyes, exciting the most frightful ideas)-brandishing the razor over his head with an air of triumph, and shouting nearly at the top of his voice-" Ah, ha, ha!-What do you think of this ?"

Merciful Powers! May I never be placed again in such perilous circumstances, nor have my mind overwhelmed with such a gush of horror as burst over it at that moment! What was I to do? Obeying a sudden impulse, I had entered the room, shutting the door after me; and, should any one in the sitting-room suddenly attempt to open it again, or make a noise or disturbance of any kind, by giving vent to their emotions, what was to become of the madman or ourselves? He might, in an instant, almost sever his head from his shoulders, or burst upon me or his sisters, and do us some deadly mischief! I felt conscious that the lives of all of us depended on my conduct; and I do devoutly thank God for the measure of tolerable self-possession which was vouchsafed me at that dreadful moment. I continued standing like a statue-motionless-silent-endeavouring to fix my eye on him, that I might gain the command of his ; that successful, I had some hopes of being

able to deal with him. He, in turn, now stood speechless-and I thought he was quailing-that I had overmastered him-when I was suddenly fit to faint with despair-for at that awful instant I heard the door-handle tried-the door pushed gently openand the nurse, I supposed-or one of the ladies-peeping through it. The maniac also heard it-the spell was broken—and, in a frenzy, he leaped several times successively in the air, brandishing the razor over his head as before.

While he was in the midst of these feats, I turned my head hurriedly to the person who had so shamefully disobeyed my orders, and thereby jeopardied my life-whispered in low affrighted accents-" At the peril of your lives-of mine-shut the door, away-away, hush! or we are all murdered!" I was obeyed-the intruder withdrew, and I heard a sound as if she had fallen to the floor-probably in a swoon. Fortunately the madman was so occupied with his antics, that he did not observe what had passed at the door. It was the nurse who made the attempt to discover what was going on, I afterwards learnt-but unsuccessfully, for she had seen nothing. My injunctions were obeyed to the letter, for they maintained a profound silence, unbroken, but by a faint sighing sound, which I should not have heard, but that my ears were painfully sensitive to the slightest noise. But to return to myself, and my fearful chamber companion.

"Mighty talisman!" he exclaimed, holding the razor before him, and gazing earnestly at it, "how utterly unworthy-how infamous the common use men put thee to!" Still he continued standing, with his eyes fixed intently upon the deadly weapon -I all the while uttering not a sound, nor moving a muscle, but waiting for our eyes to meet once more. "Ha-doctor

-How easily I keep you at bay, though little my weapon-thus"-he exclaimed gaily, at the same time assuming one of the postures of the broadsword exercise-but I observed that he cautiously avoided meeting my eye again. I crossed my arms submissively on my breast, and continued in perfect silence, endeavouring, but in vain, to catch a glance of his eye. I did not

wish to excite any emotion in him, except such as might have a tendency to calm, pacify, disarm him. Seeing me stand thus, and manifesting no disposition to meddle with him, he raised his left hand to his face, and rubbed his fingers rapidly over the site of his shaved eyebrows. He seemed, I thought, inclined to go over them a second time, when a knock was heard at the outer chamber door, which I instantly recognised as that of Mr the apothecary. The madman also heard it, turned suddenly pale, and moved away from the glass opposite which he had been stooping. "Oh-oh!" he groaned, while his features assumed an air of the blankest affright, every muscle quivering, and every limb trembling from head to foot "Is that-is-is that T- come for ME?" He let fall the razor on the floor, and clasping his hands in an agony of apprehension, he retreated, crouching and cowering down, towards the more distant part of the room, where he continued peering round the bed-post, his eyes straining as though they would start from their sockets, and fixed steadfastly upon the door. I heard him rustling the bed-curtain, and shaking it; but very gently, as if wishing to cover and conceal himself within its folds.

Oh, humanity!-Was that poor being-that silly slavering idiot-was that the once gay, gifted, brilliant M-?

To return. My attention was wholly occupied with one object, the razor on the floor. How I thanked God for the gleam of hope that all might yet be right-that I might succeed in obtaining possession of the deadly weapon, and putting it beyond his reach! But how was I to do all this? I stole gradually towards the spot where the razor lay, without removing once my eye from his, nor he his from the dreaded door, intending, as soon as I should have come pretty near it, to make a sudden snatch at the horrid implement of destruction. I did I succeeded— I got it into my possession, scarcely crediting my senses. I had hardly grasped my prize, when the door opened, and Mr the apothecary entered, sufficiently startled and bewildered, as it may be supposed, with the strange aspect of things.

“Ha-ha-ha! It's you, is it-it's you-you anatomy! You plaster! How dare you mock me in this horrid way, eh?" shouted the maniac, and springing like a lion from his lair, he made for the spot where the confounded apothecary stood, stupified with terror. I verily believe he would have been destroyed, torn to pieces, or cruelly maltreated in some way or other, had I not started and thrown myself between him and the unwitting object of his vengeance, exclaiming at the same time, as a dernier resort, a sudden and strong appeal to his fears-" Remember! T!T! T— !”

"I do-I-do!" stammered the maniac, stepping back, perfectly aghast. He seemed utterly petrified, and sunk shivering down again into his former position at the corner of the bed, moaning-" Oh me! wretched me! Away-away-away!" I then stepped to Mr, who had not moved an inch, directed him to retire instantly, conduct all the females out of the chambers, and return immediately with two or three of the inn-porters, or any other ablebodied men he could procure on the spur of the moment; and I concluded by slipping the razor unobservedly, as I thought, into his hands, and bidding him remove it to a place of safety. He obeyed, and I found myself once more alone with the madman.

"M-!-dear Mr M-!-I've got something to say to you-I have, indeed; it's very-very particular." I commenced approaching him slowly, and speaking in the softest tones conceivable.

"But you've forgotten THIS, you fool, you!-you have!" he replied fiercely, approaching the dressingtable, and suddenly seizing another razor-the fellow of the one I had got hold of with such pains and peril

and which, alas, alas! had never once caught my eye! I gave myself up for lost, fully expecting that I should be murdered, when I saw the bloodthirsty spirit with which he clutched it, brandished it over his head, and with a smile of fiendish derision, shook it full before me! I trembled, however, the next moment, for himself, for he drew it rapidly to and fro before his throat, as though he would give the fatal gash,

VOL. XXIX. NO. CLXXVII,

He

but did not touch the skin. gnashed his teeth with a kind of savage satisfaction at the dreadful power with which he was consciously armed.

"Oh, Mr M-! think of your poor mother and sisters!" I exclaimed, in a sorrowful tone, my voice falttering with uncontrollable agitation. He shook the razor again before me with an air of defiance, and really "grinned horribly a ghastly smile."

"Now suppose I choose to finish your perfidy, you wretch! and do what you dread, eh ?" said he, holding the razor as if he was going to cut his throat.

66

Why, wouldn't it be nobler to forgive and forget, Mr M-?” I replied, with tolerable firmness, and folding my arms on my breast, anxious to appear quite at ease.

"Too-too-too, doctor !-Tootoo-too-too!-Ha, by the way!What do you say to a razor hornpipe -eh ?-Ha, ha, ha-a novelty, at least!" He began forthwith to dance a few steps, leaping frantically high, and uttering, at intervals, a sudden, shrill, dissonant cry, resembling that used by those who dance the Highland "fling," or some other species of Scottish dance. I affected to admire his dancing, even to ecstasyclapping my hands, and shouting, “Bravo, bravo!—Encore!" He seemed inclined to go over it again, but was too much exhausted, and sate down panting on the window-seat, which was close behind him.

"You'll catch cold, Mr Msitting in that draught of air, naked, and perspiring as you are. Will you put on your clothes?" said I, approaching him.

"No!" he replied, sternly, and extended the razor threateningly, I fell back, of course-not knowing what to do, nor choosing to risk either his destruction or my own by attempting any active interference; for what was to be done with a madman who had an open razor in his hand ?-Mr, the apothecary, seemed to have been gone an age; and I found even my temper beginning to fail me-for I was tired with his tricks, deadly dangerous as they were. My attention, however, was soon riveted again on the motions of the maniac. "Yes—yes, decidedly so-I'm too hot to do it now—]

2 A

mentary suggestion of the great tempter, that I ever encountered in my life.

"Which!-which!-which!" he muttered fiercely through his closed teeth, while his right foot rested on the window-seat, ready for him to spring out, and his eye travelled, as before, rapidly from the razor to the window. Can any thing be conceived more palsying to the beholders? Why did not you and your strong reinforcement spring at once upon him, and overpower him?' possibly, some one is asking.-Aha! and he armed with a naked razor? His head might have been severed from his shoulders, before we could have over-mastered him-or we might ourselves at least one of us-have been murdered in the attempt. We knew not what to do! M suddenly withdrew his head from the window, through which he had been gazing, with a shuddering, horrorstricken motion, and groaned-"No! no! no!--I won't-can't-for there's T-standing just beneath, his face all blazing, and waiting with outspread arms to catch me," standing, at the same time, shading his eyes with his left hand-when I whispered,-" Now, now! go up to himsecure him-all three spring on him at once, and disarm him!" They obeyed me, and were in the act of rushing into the room, when Msuddenly planted himself in a posture of defiance, elevated the razor to his throat, and almost howled-" One step-one step nearer-and I-I-I -so!" motioning as though he would draw it from one ear to the other. We all fell back, horror-struck, and in silence. What could we do? If we moved towards him, or made use of any threatening gesture, we should see the floor in an instant deluged with his blood. I once more crossed my arms on my breast, with an air of mute submission.

"Ha-ha!" he exclaimed, after a pause, evidently pleased with such a demonstration of his power, "obedient, however!-come-that's one merit! But still, what a set of cowards-bullies-cowards you must all be!-What!-all four of you afraid of one man?" In the course of his frantic gesticulations, he had drawn

the razor so close to his neck, that its edge had slightly grazed the skin under his left ear, and a little blood trickled from it over his shoulders and breast.

"Blood!-blood?-What a strange feeling! How coldly it fell on my breast!-How did I do it ?-ShallI-go-on, as I have made a beginning?" he exclaimed, drawling the words at great length. He shuddered, and-to my unutterable joy and astonishment deliberately closed the razor, replaced it in its case, put both in the drawer; and having done all this, before we ventured to approach him, he fell at his full length on the floor, and began to yell in a manner that was perfectly frightful; but in a few moments, he burst into tears, and cried and sobbed like a child. We took him up in our arms, he groaning-" Oh, shorn of my strength!--shorn! shorn! like Samson!-Why part with my weapon? -The Philistines be upon me!"and laid him down on the bed, where, after a few moments, he fell asleep. When he woke again,a strait-waistcoat put all his tremendous strugglings at defiance-though his strength seemed increased in a tenfold degree-and prevented his attempting either his own life, or that of any one near him. When he found all his writhings and heavings utterly useless, he gnashed his teeth, the foam issued from his mouth, and he shouted, "I'll be even with you, you incarnate devils!-I will!—I'll suffocate myself!" and he held his breath till he grew black in the face, when he gave over the attempt. It was found necessary to have him strapped down to the bed; and his howlings were so shocking and loud, that we began to think of removing him, even in that dreadful condition, to a madhouse. I ordered his head to be shaved again, and kept perpetually covered with cloths soaked in evaporating lotions-blisters to be applied behind each ear, and at the nape of the neck-leeches to the temples, and the appropriate internal medicines in such cases-and left him, begging I might be sent for instantly, in the event of his getting worse. Oh, I shall never forget this harrowing scene!-my feelings