Before night she was a raving maniac,
and in this state she was delivered of a dead infant.
"Need I describe my own feelings? need I tell you of the bitter
disappointment of my heart in finding myself thus cruelly deceived?
I had ventured all my hopes of earthly happiness on Theresa's
affection; and one evil hour had seen the wreck of all! The eventful
moment to which I had looked forward as that which was to confirm
the blessings I held by the most sacred of ties, had brought with it
misery and despair; for I was childless, and could scarcely still
acknowledge myself a husband, till I knew how far I had been
betrayed. Yet when I looked upon the ill-starred and suffering being
before me, my angry feelings became appeased, and the words of
reviling and bitterness expired upon my lips.
"Amid the ravings of her delirium the unfortunate Theresa
alternately called upon Percy and myself, to defend her against the
arts of her enemies, to save her from the King. 'They seek my
dishonour,' she would say with the most touching expression, 'and
alas! I am fatherless!' From the vehemence of her indignation
whenever she mentioned the name of Charles, I became at length
persuaded that some painful mystery connected with my marriage
remained to be unfolded; and the papers which her estrangement of
mind necessarily threw into my hands, soon made me acquainted with
her eventful history.
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