You can guess it, Edith.
You have guessed it already--hereditary insanity--reaching far
back into the past, and with each successive generation developing
itself earlier and in a more violent form. He knew nothing of it
when he married Nina's mother, a famous New Orleans belle, for her
father purposely kept it from him, hoping thus to get her off his
hands ere the malady manifested itself.
"In her case it came on with the birth of Nina, and from that day
to her death she was a raving, disgusting maniac, as her mother
and grandmother had been before her. This was exceedingly
mortifying to the proud Bernards, negroes and all, and the utmost
care was taken of Nina, who, nevertheless, was too much like her
mother to hope for escape. There was the same peculiar look in the
eye--the same restless, nervous motions, and from her babyhood up
he knew his child was doomed to chains, straight jackets and
narrow cells, while the man who married her was domed to a still
more horrible fate. These were his very words, and my heart
stopped its beating as I read, while I involuntarily thanked
Heaven, who had changed her feelings towards me.
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