"Ungrateful!"
"Ah, bah! yes; it is the way of lunatics! They ever imagine their best
friends to be their worst enemies. The poor, crazed creature fancies
that she is the sister-in-law of this officer illustrious! She thinks
that she is the widow of his elder brother, whom she imagines he
murdered, and that she is the mother of children, whom she says he has
abducted or destroyed, so that he may enjoy the estate that is her
widow's dower and their orphans' patrimony. That is the reason why she
insists on being called madame instead of mademoiselle, and we indulge
her when we think of it!"
"But all this is very singular!"
"Ah, bah! who can account for a lunatic's fancies? She is the maddest
of the whole lot. Sometimes she used to become so violent that we would
have to restrain her. But lately, Doctor Wood tells me, she is quite
still; that we consider a bad sign; there is always hope for a lunatic
until they begin to sink into this state," said the doctor, with an air
of competency.