He is my only son; and has been thus since he was five years old: he is now twelve.

I am therefore accustomed to see him so; though, at the first, I too was disquieted by it.

The attack comes upon him only once in the year, and always at this same time.

But forgive me for having spent so many words on my poor Sintram, and let us pass on to some worthier subject for our discourse." Again there was silence for a while; then whisperingly and doubtfully single voices strove to renew their broken-off discourse, but without success.

Two of the youngest and most joyous began a roundelay; but the storm howled and raged so wildly without, that this too was soon interrupted.