show of any kind, avoiding, as much as possible,all occasions where such parade would have been required of her. It was but among those who were quite ignorant of her real character, that such conduct could have been ascribed to affectation.
“Seraphina was in her fifteenth year, when, by mere accident, I made the discovery of a phenomenon in her existence, which filled me with such terror, that through my whole life I have never thoroughly recovered from the impression of that adventure. I had been out making some visits, and on my return, found Seraphina standing at the window of my father’s study, seemingly absorbed in deep reverie, and with her eyes fixed like those of a marble statue. I had been so accustomed to those moods of silent abstraction, that though I wished her to speak, I did not like to disturb her,—but looked from the window into the garden, where, to my utter astonishment, I saw my father walking, and with him—the identical Seraphina, who now stood motionless beside me. ‘Heaven have mercy!” cried I aloud, and ready to faint,—but at that moment the form, that had till now stood like a lifeless statue, began to move. I looked again to the garden, and saw that my father was
