"The Dutch lady came the next morning," replied she.

"Methinks, such an occurrence scarcely deserved a supernatural
announcement," I replied.

"She is a strange woman, my lady," said Martha, "and she is not _gone_
yet--mark my words."

"Well, well, Martha," said I, "I have not wit enough to change your
opinions, nor inclination to alter mine; so I will talk no more of the
matter. Good night," and so I was left to my reflections. After lying
for about an hour awake, I at length fell into a kind of doze; but my
imagination was still busy, for I was startled from this unrefreshing
sleep by fancying that I heard a voice close to my face exclaim as
before, "There is blood upon your ladyship's throat." The words were
instantly followed by a loud burst of laughter. Quaking with horror, I
awakened, and heard my husband enter the room. Even this was a relief.
Scared as I was, however, by the tricks which my imagination had
played me, I preferred remaining silent, and pretending to sleep, to
attempting to engage my husband in conversation, for I well knew
that his mood was such, that his words would not, in all probability,
convey anything that had not better be unsaid and unheard. Lord
Glenfallen went into his dressing-room, which lay upon the right-hand
side of the bed. The door lying open, I could see him by himself, at
full length upon a sofa, and, in about half an hour, I became aware,
by his deep and regularly drawn respiration, that he was fast asleep.
When slumber refuses to visit one, there is something peculiarly
irritating, not to the temper, but to the nerves, in the consciousness
that some one is in your immediate presence, actually enjoying the
boon which you are seeking in vain; at least, I have always found it