第139章

Shewasstandingmotionlessinthemiddleoftheroom——notlikealivingwoman——likeamachinewaitingtobesetinmovement。

Findingituselesstospeaktoher，hetouchedher(withastrangesensationofshrinkinginhimashedidit)，andpointedtothepartitionwall。

Thetouchrousedher。Withslowstepandvacantface——movingasifshewaswalkinginhersleep——sheledthewaytothepaperedwall；kneltdownattheskirting-board；and，takingouttwosmallsharpnails，liftedupalongstripofthepaperwhichhadbeendetachedfromtheplasterbeneath。Mountingonachair，sheturnedbackthestripandpinneditup，outoftheway，usingthetwonails，whichshehadkeptreadyinherhand。

Bythelastdimraysoftwilight，Geoffreylookedatthewall。

Ahollowspacemethisview。Atadistanceofsomethreefeetfromthefloor，thelathshadbeensawnaway，andtheplasterhadbeenrippedout，piecemeal，soastoleaveacavity，sufficientinheightandwidthtoallowfreepowerofworkinginanydirection，toaman’sarms。Thecavitycompletelypiercedthesubstanceofthewall。Nothingbutthepaperontheothersidepreventedeyeorhandfrompenetratingintothenextroom。

HesterDethridgegotdownfromthechair，andmadesignsforalight。

Geoffreytookamatchfromthebox。Thesamestrangeuncertaintywhichhadalreadypossessedhisfeet，appearednowtopossesshishands。Hestruckthematchtooheavilyagainstthesandpaper，andbrokeit。Hetriedanother，andstruckittoolightlytokindletheflame。Hestertooktheboxoutofhishands。Havinglitthecandle，shehelditlow，andpointedtotheskirting-board。

Twolittlehookswerefixedintothefloor，nearthepartofthewallfromwhichthepaperhadbeenremoved。Twolengthsoffineandstrongstringweretwistedonceortwiceroundthehooks。Thelooseendsofthestringextendingtosomelengthbeyondthetwistedparts，wereneatlycoiledawayagainsttheskirting-board。Theotherends，drawntight，disappearedintwosmallholesdrilledthroughthewall，ataheightofafootfromthefloor。

Afterfirstuntwistingthestringsfromthehooks，Hesterrose，andheldthecandlesoastolightthecavityinthewall。Twomorepiecesofthefinestringwereseenhere，restinglooseupontheunevensurfacewhichmarkedthelowerboundaryofthehollowedspace。Liftingthesehigherstrings，Hesterliftedtheloosenedpaperinthenextroom——thelowerstrings，whichhadpreviouslyheldthestripfirmandflatagainstthesoundportionofthewall，workingintheirholes，andallowingthepapertomoveupfreely。Asitrosehigherandhigher，Geoffreysawthinstripsofcottonwoollightlyattached，atintervals，tothebackofthepaper，soaseffectuallytopreventitfrommakingagratingsoundagainstthewall。Upandupitcameslowly，tillitcouldbepulledthroughthehollowspace，andpinnedupoutoftheway，asthestrippreviouslyliftedhadbeenpinnedbeforeit。Hesterdrewback，andmadewayforGeoffreytolookthrough。

TherewasAnne’sroom，visiblethroughthewall!Hesoftlypartedthelightcurtainsthathangoverthebed。Therewasthepillow，onwhichherheadwouldrestatnight，withinreachofhishands!

Thedeadlydexterityofitstruckhimcold。Hisnervesgaveway。

Hedrewbackwithastartofguiltyfear，andlookedroundtheroom。Apocketflaskofbrandylayonthetableathisbedside。

Hesnatcheditup，andemp