violence of his sorrow found vent in a flood of tears.

These first transports were succeeded by a fit of impatience, which had
well-nigh deprived him of his senses in good earnest. His surprise at
finding his lost Aurelia in such a place, the seeming impossibility of
relieving her, and his unspeakable eagerness to contrive some scheme for
profiting by the interesting discovery he had made, concurred in brewing
up a second ecstasy, during which he acted a thousand extravagances,
which it was well for him the attendants did not observe. Perhaps it was
well for the servant that he did not enter while the paroxysm prevailed.
Had this been the case, he might have met with the fate of Lichas, whom
Hercules in his frenzy destroyed.

Before the cloth was laid for supper, he was calm enough to conceal the
disorder of his mind. But he complained of the headache, and desired he
might be next day visited by the physician, to whom he resolved to
explain himself in such a manner, as should make an impression upon him,
provided he was not altogether destitute of conscience and humanity.




CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

THE KNOT THAT PUZZLES HUMAN WISDOM, THE HAND OF FORTUNE SOMETIMES WILL
UNTIE FAMILIAR AS HER GARTER.


When the doctor made his next appearance in Sir Launcelot's apartment,
the knight addressed him in these words: "Sir, the practice of medicine