She has hitherto been subject to
violent attacks of frenzy, during which nothing within her reach
was safe; and, knowing this, Griswold advised me to prepare a
room, where, at such times, she could be kept by herself, for the
sight of people always made her worse. The Den, with the large
closet adjoining, was the result of this suggestion, and as I have
a great dread of neighborhood gossip, I resolved to say nothing of
her until compelled to do so by her presence in the house. I
fancied that Mrs. Johnson was a discreet woman, and my purpose was
to tell her of Nina as soon as I was fairly settled; but she
abused her trust by letting Grace into the room. You refused to
enter, and my respect for you from that moment was unbounded."
She looked at him in much surprise, and he added,
"You wonder, I suppose, how I know this. I was here at the time,
was in the next room when you came into the library to wait for
Grace. I watched you through the glass door, wondering who you
were, until my cousin appeared and I overheard the whole.
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