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Reade, Charles, 1814-1884

"A Terrible Temptation A Story of To-Day"

These were new to his poor wife, and, as she strove in
vain to control his fearful convulsions, her shrieks rent the air.
Indeed, her screams were so appalling that Bassett himself sprang at
the wall, and, by a great effort of strength, drew himself up, and
peered down, with white face, at the glaring eyes, clinched teeth,
purple face, and foaming lips of his enemy, and his body that bounded
convulsively on the ground with incredible violence.
At that moment humanity prevailed over every thing, and he flung
himself over the wall, and in his haste got rather a heavy fall
himself. "It is a fit!" he cried, and running to the brook close by,
filled his hat with water, and was about to dash it over Sir Charles's
face.
But Lady Bassett repelled him with horror. "Don't touch him, you
villain! You have killed him." And then she shrieked again.
At this moment Mr. Angelo dashed up, and saw at a glance what it was,
for he had studied medicine a little. He said, "It is epilepsy. Leave
him to me." He managed, by his great strength, to keep the patient's
head down till the face got pale and the limbs still; then, telling
Lady Bassett not to alarm herself too much, he lifted Sir Charles, and
actually proceeded to carry him toward the house. Lady Bassett,
weeping, proffered her assistance, and so did Mary Wells; but this
athlete said, a little bruskly, "No, no; I have practiced this sort of
thing;" and, partly by his rare strength, partly by his familiarity
with all athletic feats, carried the insensible baronet to his own
house, as I have seen my accomplished friend Mr.


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