workwhichprojectedinteriorly。Thussheremained，andthussherotted，erect。
　　Intheyear1810，acaseoflivinginhumationhappenedinFrance，attendedwithcircumstanceswhichgofartowarranttheassertionthattruthis，indeed，strangerthanfiction。TheheroineofthestorywasaMademoiselleVictorineLafourcade，ayounggirlofillustriousfamily，ofwealth，andofgreatpersonalbeauty。AmonghernumeroussuitorswasJulienBossuet，apoorlitterateur，orjournalistofParis。Histalentsandgeneralamiabilityhadrecommendedhimtothenoticeoftheheiress，bywhomheseemstohavebeentrulybeloved；butherprideofbirthdecidedher，finally，torejecthim，andtowedaMonsieurRenelle，abankerandadiplomatistofsomeeminence。Aftermarriage，however，thisgentlemanneglected，and，perhaps，evenmorepositivelyill-treatedher。Havingpassedwithhimsomewretchedyears，shedied，-atleastherconditionsocloselyresembleddeathastodeceiveeveryonewhosawher。Shewasburied-notinavault，butinanordinarygraveinthevillageofhernativity。Filledwithdespair，andstillinflamedbythememoryofaprofoundattachment，theloverjourneysfromthecapitaltotheremoteprovinceinwhichthevillagelies，withtheromanticpurposeofdisinterringthecorpse，andpossessinghimselfofitsluxurianttresses。Hereachesthegrave。Atmidnightheunearthsthecoffin，opensit，andisintheactofdetachingthehair，whenheisarrestedbytheunclosingofthebelovedeyes。Infact，theladyhadbeenburiedalive。Vitalityhadnotaltogetherdeparted，andshewasarousedbythecaressesofherloverfromthelethargywhichhadbeenmistakenfordeath。Heboreherfranticallytohislodgingsinthevillage。Heemployedcertainpowerfulrestorativessuggestedbynolittlemedicallearning。Infine，sherevived。Sherecognizedherpreserver。Sheremainedwithhimuntil，byslowdegrees，shefullyrecoveredheroriginalhealth。Herwoman’sheartwasnotadamant，andthislastlessonoflovesufficedtosoftenit。ShebestowedituponBossuet。Shereturnednomoretoherhusband，but，concealingfromhimherresurrection，fledwithherlovertoAmerica。Twentyyearsafterward，thetworeturnedtoFrance，inthepersuasionthattimehadsogreatlyalteredthelady’sappearancethatherfriendswouldbeunabletorecognizeher。Theyweremistaken，however，for，atthefirstmeeting，MonsieurRenelledidactuallyrecognizeandmakeclaimtohiswife。Thisclaimsheresisted，andajudicialtribunalsustainedherinherresistance，decidingthatthepeculiarcircumstances，withthelonglapseofyears，hadextinguished，notonlyequitably，butlegally，theauthorityofthehusband。
　　The“ChirurgicalJournal“ofLeipsicaperiodicalofhighauthorityandmerit，whichsomeAmericanbooksellerwoulddowelltotranslateandrepublish，recordsinalatenumberaverydistressingeventofthecharacterinquestion。
　　Anofficerofartillery，amanofgiganticstatureandofrobusthealth，beingthrownfromanunmanageablehorse，receivedaveryseverecontusionuponthehead，whichrenderedhiminsensibleatonce；theskullwasslightlyfractured，butnoimmediatedangerwasapprehended。Trepanningwasaccomplishedsuccessfully。Hewasbled，andmanyotheroftheordinarymeansofreliefwereadopted。
　　Gradually，however，hefellintoamoreandmorehopelessstateofstupor，and，finally，itwasthoughtthathedied。
　　Theweatherwaswarm，andhewasburiedwithindecenthasteinoneofthepubliccemeteries。HisfuneraltookplaceonThursday。OntheSundayfollowing，thegroundsofthecemeterywere，asusual，muchthrongedwithvisiters，andaboutnoonanintenseexcitementwascreatedbythedeclarationofapeasantthat，whilesittinguponthegraveoftheofficer，hehaddistinctlyfeltacommotionoftheearth，asifoccasionedbysomeonestrugglingbeneath。Atfirstlittleattentionwaspaidtotheman’sasseveration；buthisevidentterror，andthedoggedobstinacywithwhichhepersistedinhisstory，hadatlengththeirnaturaleffectuponthecrowd。Spadeswerehurriedlyprocured，andthegrave，whichwasshamefullyshallow，wasinafewminutessofarthrownopenthattheheadofitsoccupantappeared。Hewasthenseeminglydead；buthesatnearlyerectwithinhiscoffin，thelidofwhich，inhisfuriousstruggles，hehadpartiallyuplifted。
　　Hewasforthwithconveyedtothenearesthospital，andtherepronouncedtobestillliving，althoughinanasphyticcondition。
　　Aftersomehoursherevived，recognizedindividualsofhisacquaintance，and，inbrokensentencesspokeofhisagoniesinthegrave。
　　Fromwhatherelated，itwasclearthathemusthavebeenconsciousoflifeformorethananhour，whileinhumed，beforelapsingintoinsensibility。Thegravewascarelesslyandlooselyfilledwithanexceedinglyporoussoil；andthussomeairwasnecessarilyadmitted。
　　Heheardthefootstepsofthecrowdoverhead，andendeavoredtomakehimselfheardinturn。Itwasthetumultwithinthegroundsofthecemetery，hesaid，whichappearedtoawakenhimfromadeepsleep，butnosoonerwasheawakethanhebecamefullyawareoftheawfulhorrorsofhisposition。
　　Thispatient，itisrecorded，wasdoingwellandseemedtobeinafairwayofultimaterecovery，butfellavictimtothequackeriesofmedicalexperiment。Thegalvanicbatterywasapplied，andhesuddenlyexpiredinoneofthoseecstaticparoxysmswhich，occasionally，itsuperinduces。
　　Thementionofthegalvanicbattery，nevertheless，recallstomymemoryawellknownandveryextraordinarycaseinpoint，whereitsactionprovedthemeansofrestoringtoanimationayoungattorneyofLondon，whohadbeeninterredfortwodays。Thisoccurredin1831，andcreated，atthetime，averyprofoundsensationwhereveritwasmadethesubjectofconverse。
　　Thepatient，Mr。EdwardStapleton，haddied，apparentlyoftyphusfever，accompaniedwithsomeanomaloussymptomswhichhadexcitedthecuriosityofhismedicalattendants。Uponhisseemingdecease，hisfriendswererequestedtosanctionapost-mortemexamination，butdeclinedtopermitit。Asoftenhappens，whensuchrefusalsaremade，thepractitionersresolvedtodisinterthebodyanddissectitatleisure，inprivate。Arrangementswereeasilyeffectedwithsomeofthenumerouscorpsofbody-snatchers，withwhichLondonabounds；and，uponthethirdnightafterthefuneral，thesupposedcorpsewasunearthedfromagraveeightfeetdeep，anddepositedintheopeningchamberofoneoftheprivatehospitals。
　　Anincisionofsomeextenthadbeenactuallymadeintheabdomen，whenthefreshandundecayedappearanceofthesubjectsuggestedanapplicationofthebattery。Oneexperimentsucceededanother，andthecustomaryeffectssupervened，withnothingtocharacterizetheminanyrespect，except，upononeortwooccasions，amorethanordinarydegreeoflife-likenessintheconvulsiveaction。
　　Itgrewlate。Thedaywasabouttodawn；anditwasthoughtexpedient，atlength，toproceedatoncetothedissection。A
　　student，however，wasespeciallydesirousoftestingatheoryofhisown，andinsisteduponapplyingthebatterytooneofthepectoralmuscles。Aroughgashwasmade，andawirehastilybroughtincontact，whenthepatient，withahurriedbutquiteunconvulsivemovement，arosefromthetable，steppedintothemiddleofthefloor，gazedabouthimuneasilyforafewseconds，andthenspoke。Whathesaidwasunintelligible，butwordswereuttered；thesyllabificationwasdistinct。Havingspoken，hefellheavilytothefloor。
　　Forsomemomentsallwereparalyzedwithawebuttheurgencyofthecasesoonrestoredthemtheirpresenceofmind。ItwasseenthatMr。Stapletonwasalive，althoughinaswoon。Uponexhibitionofetherherevivedandwasrapidlyrestoredtohealth，andtothesocietyofhisfriendsfromwhom，however，allknowledgeofhisresuscitationwaswithheld，untilarelapsewasnolongertobeapprehended。Theirwondertheirrapturousastonishmentmaybeconceived。
　　Themostthrillingpeculiarityofthisincident，nevertheless，isinvolvedinwhatMr。S。himselfasserts。Hedeclaresthatatnoperiodwashealtogetherinsensiblethat，dullyandconfusedly，hewasawareofeverythingwhichhappenedtohim，fromthemomentinwhichhewaspronounceddeadbyhisphysicians，tothatinwhichhefellswooningtothefloorofthehospital。“Iamalive。”weretheuncomprehendedwordswhich，uponrecognizingthelocalityofthedissecting-room，hehadendeavored，inhisextremity，toutter。
　　ItwereaneasymattertomultiplysuchhistoriesasthesebutI
　　forbearfor，indeed，wehavenoneedofsuchtoestablishthefactthatprematureintermentsoccur。Whenwereflecthowveryrarely，fromthenatureofthecase，wehaveitinourpowertodetectthem，wemustadmitthattheymayfrequentlyoccurwithoutourcognizance。
　　Scarcely，intruth，isagraveyardeverencroachedupon，foranypurpose，toanygreatextent，thatskeletonsarenotfoundinpostureswhichsuggestthemostfearfulofsuspicions。
　　Fearfulindeedthesuspicionbutmorefearfulthedoom！Itmaybeasserted，withouthesitation，thatnoeventissoterriblywelladaptedtoinspirethesupremenessofbodilyandofmentaldistress，asisburialbeforedeath。Theunendurableoppressionofthelungs
　　thestiflingfumesfromthedampearththeclingingtothedeathgarmentstherigidembraceofthenarrowhousetheblacknessoftheabsoluteNightthesilencelikeaseathatoverwhelmstheunseenbutpalpablepresenceoftheConquerorWormthesethings，withthethoughtsoftheairandgrassabove，withmemoryofdearfriendswhowouldflytosaveusifbutinformedofourfate，andwithconsciousnessthatofthisfatetheycanneverbeinformed
　　thatourhopelessportionisthatofthereallydeadtheseconsiderations，Isay，carryintotheheart，whichstillpalpitates，adegreeofappallingandintolerablehorrorfromwhichthemostdaringimaginationmustrecoil。WeknowofnothingsoagonizinguponEarthwecandreamofnothinghalfsohideousintherealmsofthenethermostHell。Andthusallnarrativesuponthistopichaveaninterestprofound；aninterest，nevertheless，which，throughthesacredaweofthetopicitself，veryproperlyandverypeculiarlydependsuponourconvictionofthetruthofthematternarrated。WhatIhavenowtotellisofmyownactualknowledgeofmyownpositiveandpersonalexperience。
　　ForseveralyearsIhadbeensubjecttoattacksofthesingulardisorderwhichphysicianshaveagreedtotermcatalepsy，indefaultofamoredefinitivetitle。Althoughboththeimmediateandthepredisposingcauses，andeventheactualdiagnosis，ofthisdiseasearestillmysterious，itsobviousandapparentcharacterissufficientlywellunderstood。Itsvariationsseemtobechieflyofdegree。Sometimesthepatientlies，foradayonly，orevenforashorterperiod，inaspeciesofexaggeratedlethargy。Heissenselessandexternallymotionless；butthepulsationoftheheartisstillfaintlyperceptible；sometracesofwarmthremain；aslightcolorlingerswithinthecentreofthecheek；and，uponapplicationofamirrortothelips，wecandetectatorpid，unequal，andvacillatingactionofthelungs。Thenagainthedurationofthetranceisforweeksevenformonths；whiletheclosestscrutiny，andthemostrigorousmedicaltests，failtoestablishanymaterialdistinctionbetweenthestateofthesuffererandwhatweconceiveofabsolutedeath。Veryusuallyheissavedfromprematureintermentsolelybytheknowledgeofhisfriendsthathehasbeenpreviouslysubjecttocatalepsy，bytheconsequentsuspicionexcited，and，aboveall，bythenon-appearanceofdecay。Theadvancesofthemaladyare，luckily，gradual。Thefirstmanifestations，althoughmarked，areunequivocal。
　　Thefitsgrowsuccessivelymoreandmoredistinctive，andendureeachforalongertermthanthepreceding。Inthisliestheprincipalsecurityfrominhumation。Theunfortunatewhosefirstattackshouldbeoftheextremecharacterwhichisoccasionallyseen，wouldalmostinevitablybeconsignedalivetothetomb。
　　Myowncasedifferedinnoimportantparticularfromthosementionedinmedicalbooks。Sometimes，withoutanyapparentcause，Isank，littlebylittle，intoaconditionofhemi-syncope，orhalfswoon；
　　and，inthiscondition，withoutpain，withoutabilitytostir，or，strictlyspeaking，tothink，butwithadulllethargicconsciousnessoflifeandofthepresenceofthosewhosurroundedmybed，I