Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

The precautions of nervous people are infectious, and persons of a like temperament are pretty sure, after a time, to imitate them.

If you were less pretty I think I should be very much afraid of you

Why you must die--everyone must die; and all are happier when they do.

All things proceed from Nature--don't they

But to die as lovers may--to die together, so that they may live together.

Girls are caterpillars while they live in the world, to be finally butterflies when the summer comes; but in the meantime there are grubs and larvae, don't you see--each with their peculiar propensities, necessities and structure. So says Monsieur Buffon, in his big book, in the next room."

"I have been in love with no one, and never shall," she whispered, "unless it should be with you."

," she murmured, "I live in you; and you would die for me, I love you so

My companion shook me a little roughly, and I turned surprised.

She said brusquely, "Don't you perceive how discordant that is?"

The sun was setting with all its melancholy splendor behind the sylvan horizon, and the stream that flows beside our home, and passes under the steep old bridge I have mentioned, wound through many a group of noble trees, almost at our feet, reflecting in its current the fading crimson of the sky.

I sprang into my bed and covered my head up in the bedclothes, and lay there more dead than alive till morning.