Clarimonde

Brother, you ask me if I have ever loved. Yes. My story is a strange and terrible one; and though I am sixty six years of age, I scarcely dare even now to disturb the ashes of that memory. To you I can refuse nothing; but I should not relate such a tale to any less experienced mind. So strange were the circumstances of my story, that I can scarcely believe myself to have ever actually been a party to them. For more than three years I remained the victim of a most singular and diabolical illusion. Poor country priest though I was, I led every night in a dream would to God it had been all a dream! a most worldly life, a damning life, a life of Sardanapalus. One single look too freely cast upon a woman well nigh caused me to lose my soul; but finally by the grace of God and the assistance of my patron saint, I succeeded in casting out the evil spirit that possessed me. My daily life was long interwoven with a nocturnal life of a totally different