August 19. I know, I know, I know all! I have just read the
following in the "Revue du Monde Scientifique": "A curious piece
of news comes to us from Rio de Janeiro. Madness, an epidemic of
madness, which may be compared to that contagious madness which
attacked the people of Europe in the Middle Ages, is at this
moment raging in the Province of San-Paulo. The frightened
inhabitants are leaving their houses, deserting their villages,
abandoning their land, saying that they are pursued, possessed,
governed like human cattle by invisible, though tangible beings,
by a species of vampire, which feeds on their life while they are
asleep, and which, besides, drinks water and milk without
appearing to touch any other nourishment.

"Professor Don Pedro Henriques, accompanied by several medical
savants, has gone to the Province of San-Paulo, in order to study
the origin and the manifestations of this surprising madness on
the spot, and to propose such measures to the Emperor as may
appear to him to be most fitted to restore the mad population to
reason."

Ah! Ah! I remember now that fine Brazilian three-master which
passed in front of my windows as it was going up the Seine, on
the eighth of last May! I thought it looked so pretty, so white
and bright! That Being was on board of her, coming from there,
where its race sprang from. And it saw me! It saw my house, which
was also white, and He sprang from the ship on to the land. Oh!
Good heavens!

Now I know, I can divine. The reign of man is over, and he has
come. He whom disquieted priests exorcised, whom sorcerers evoked