'Jane, I have gone mad--that is it.' He spoke
thickly and hurriedly. 'You should have told me;
you must have observed my symptoms before they
became so pronounced that I have observed them
myself. I thought I was passing Deemer's store; it
was open and lit up--that is what I thought; of
course it is never open now. Silas Deemer stood at
his desk behind the counter. My God, Jane, I saw
him as distinctly as I see you. Remembering that
you had said you wanted some maple syrup, I went
in and bought some--that is all--I bought two
quarts of maple syrup from Silas Deemer, who is
dead and underground, but nevertheless drew that
syrup from a cask and handed it to me in a jug. He
talked with me, too, rather gravely, I remember,
even more so than was his way, but not a word of
what he said can I now recall. But I saw him--
good Lord, I saw and talked with him--and he
is dead So I thought, but I'm mad, Jane, I'm
as crazy as a beetle; and you have kept it from
me.'
This monologue gave the woman time to collect
what faculties she had.
'Alvan,' she said, 'you have given no evidence of
insanity, believe me. This was undoubtedly an illu-
sion--how should it be anything else? That would
be too terrible! But there is no insanity; you are
working too hard at the bank. You should not have
attended the meeting of directors this evening; any-
one could see that you were ill; I knew something
would occur.
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