" A mind disposed to lunacy would readily be
led away by such suggestions --especially if chiming in with
favorite preconceived ideas --and then I called to mind the poor
fellow's speech about the beetle's being "the index of his fortune."
Upon the whole, I was sadly vexed and puzzled, but, at length, I
concluded to make a virtue of necessity --to dig with a good will, and
thus the sooner to convince the visionary, by ocular demonstration, of
the fallacy of the opinions he entertained.
The lanterns having been lit, we all fell to work with a zeal worthy
a more rational cause; and, as the glare fell upon our persons and
implements, I could not help thinking how picturesque a group we
composed, and how strange and suspicious our labors must have appeared
to any interloper who, by chance, might have stumbled upon our
whereabouts.
We dug very steadily for two hours. Little was said; and our chief
embarrassment lay in the yelpings of the dog, who took exceeding
interest in our proceedings. He, at length, became so obstreperous
that we grew fearful of his giving the alarm to some stragglers in the
vicinity; --or, rather, this was the apprehension of Legrand; --for
myself, I should have rejoiced at any interruption which might have
enabled me to get the wanderer home.
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