Ihadheard，atParis，thattheinstitutionofMonsieurMaillardwasmanageduponwhatisvulgarlytermedthe“systemofsoothing“thatallpunishmentswereavoidedthatevenconfinementwasseldomresortedtothatthepatients，whilesecretlywatched，wereleftmuchapparentliberty，andthatmostofthemwerepermittedtoroamaboutthehouseandgroundsintheordinaryapparelofpersonsinrightmind。
Keepingtheseimpressionsinview，IwascautiousinwhatIsaidbeforetheyounglady；forIcouldnotbesurethatshewassane；
and，infact，therewasacertainrestlessbrilliancyabouthereyeswhichhalfledmetoimagineshewasnot。Iconfinedmyremarks，therefore，togeneraltopics，andtosuchasIthoughtwouldnotbedispleasingorexcitingeventoalunatic。SherepliedinaperfectlyrationalmannertoallthatIsaid；andevenheroriginalobservationsweremarkedwiththesoundestgoodsense，butalongacquaintancewiththemetaphysicsofmania，hadtaughtmetoputnofaithinsuchevidenceofsanity，andIcontinuedtopractise，throughouttheinterview，thecautionwithwhichIcommencedit。
Presentlyasmartfootmaninliverybroughtinatraywithfruit，wine，andotherrefreshments，ofwhichIpartook，theladysoonafterwardleavingtheroom。AsshedepartedIturnedmyeyesinaninquiringmannertowardmyhost。
“No。”hesaid，“oh，noamemberofmyfamilymyniece，andamostaccomplishedwoman。”