there was such a conviction in his mind, that he could not be deceived in the voice which three times had startled him; and the last time was not only heard by Claudina, but appeared from her own letters to have struck her with a sense of conscious guilt, (though of what nature he could not divine) that it was impossible there could be any misapprehension, where there was no fear, or expectation of terror. All was strange and inexplicable, and he found himself involved in a labyrinth of perplexity, without any clue to guide him through it.
He at length came to a side of the forest which had a very steep hill, or rather mountain, rising from a narrow valley, which was watered by a small stream that seemed to meander slowly round the sides of the hill beyond the view; here Ferdinand stopped, and for the first moment recollected that he was tired and faint for want of refreshment, which, though a very natural occurrence, he had never apprehended; and Ferdinand concluded, without inquiring, that he would
