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In the meantime I took every precaution to defend my person in

case the fiend should openly attack me. I carried pistols and a

dagger constantly about me and was ever on the watch to prevent

artifice, and by these means gained a greater degree of

tranquillity. Indeed, as the period approached, the threat

appeared more as a delusion, not to be regarded as worthy to

disturb my peace, while the happiness I hoped for in my marriage

wore a greater appearance of certainty as the day fixed for its

solemnisation drew nearer and I heard it continually spoken of as

an occurrence which no accident could possibly prevent.