第38章

Sosaying，shequittedtheroom，leavingmeverylittledisposedtosleep。

Herewasfoodformyveryworstandmostterriblesuspicions；stilltherewasnotenoughtoremovealldoubt。Ihadnoproofofthetruthofthiswoman’sstatement。

Takenbyitself，therewasnothingtoinducemetoattachweighttoit；butwhenIvieweditinconnectionwiththeextraordinarymysteryofsomeofLordGlen-

fallen’sproceedings，hisstrangeanxietytoexcludemefromcertainportionsofthemansion，doubtlesslestIshouldencounterthisperson——thestronginfluence，nay，commandwhichshepossessedoverhim，acircumstanceclearlyestablishedbytheveryfactofherresidingintheveryplacewhere，ofallothers，heshouldleasthavedesiredtofindher——herthusacting，andcontinuingtoactindirectcontradictiontohiswishes；

when，Isay，Iviewedherdisclosureinconnectionwithallthesecircumstances，Icouldnothelpfeelingthattherewasatleastafearfulverisimilitudeintheallegationswhichshehadmade。

StillIwasnotsatisfied，nornearlyso。

Youngmindshaveareluctancealmostinsurmountabletobelieving，uponanythingshortofunquestionableproof，theexistenceofpremeditatedguiltinanyonewhomtheyhaveevertrusted；andinsupportofthisfeelingIwasassuredthatiftheassertionofLordGlenfallen，whichnothinginthiswoman’smannerhadledmetodisbelieve，weretrue，namelythathermindwasunsound，thewholefabricofmydoubtsandfearsmustfalltotheground。

IdeterminedtostatetoLordGlenfallenfreelyandaccuratelythesubstanceofthecommunicationwhichIhadjustheard，andinhiswordsandlookstoseekforitsprooforrefutation。Fullofthesethoughts，I

remainedwakefulandexcitedallnight，everymomentfancyingthatIheardthesteporsawthefigureofmyrecentvisitor，towardswhomIfeltaspeciesofhorroranddreadwhichIcanhardlydescribe。

Therewassomethinginherface，thoughherfeatureshadevidentlybeenhandsome，andwerenot，atfirstsight，unpleasing，which，uponanearerinspection，seemedtoindicatethehabitualprevalenceandindulgenceofevilpassions，andapowerofexpressingmereanimalanger，withanintensenessthatIhaveseldomseenequalled，andtowhichanalmostunearthlyeffectwasgivenbytheconvulsivequiveringofthesightlesseyes。

Youmayeasilysupposethatitwasnoverypleasingreflectiontometoconsiderthat，whenevercapricemightinducehertoreturn，Iwaswithinthereachofthisviolentand，foraughtIknew，insanewoman，whohad，uponthatverynight，spokentomeinatoneofmenace，ofwhichhermerewords，divestedofthemannerandlookwithwhichsheutteredthem，canconveybutafaintidea。

WillyoubelievemewhenItellyouthatIwasactuallyafraidtoleavemybedinordertosecurethedoor，lestIshouldagainencounterthedreadfulobjectlurkinginsomecornerorpeepingfrombehindthewindow-curtains，soveryachildwasI

inmyfears。

Themorningcame，andwithitLordGlenfallen。Iknewnot，andindeedIcarednot，wherehemighthavebeen；mythoughtswerewhollyengrossedbytheterriblefearsandsuspicionswhichmylastnight’sconferencehadsuggestedtome。

Hewas，asusual，gloomyandabstracted，andIfearedinnoveryfittingmoodtohearwhatIhadtosaywithpatience，whetherthechargesweretrueorfalse。

Iwas，however，determinednottosuffertheopportunitytopass，orLordGlenfallentoleavetheroom，until，atallhazards，Ihadunburdenedmymind。

’Mylord，’saidI，afteralongsilence，summoningupallmyfirmness——’mylord，Iwishtosayafewwordstoyouuponamatterofverygreatimportance，ofverydeepconcernmenttoyouandtome。’

Ifixedmyeyesuponhimtodiscern，ifpossible，whethertheannouncementcausedhimanyuneasiness；butnosymptomofanysuchfeelingwasperceptible。

’Well，mydear，’saidhe，’thisisnodoubtaverygravepreface，andportends，Ihavenodoubt，somethingextraordinary。

Prayletushaveitwithoutmoreado。’

Hetookachair，andseatedhimselfnearlyoppositetome。

’Mylord，’saidI，’Ihaveseenthepersonwhoalarmedmesomuchashorttimesince，theblindlady，again，uponlastnight。’Hisface，uponwhichmyeyeswerefixed，turnedpale；hehesitatedforamoment，andthensaid：

’Anddidyou，pray，madam，sototallyforgetorspurnmyexpresscommand，astoenterthatportionofthehousefromwhichyourpromise，Imightsayyouroath，excludedyou？——answermethat!’headdedfiercely。

’Mylord，’saidI，’IhaveneitherforgottenyourCOMMANDS，sincesuchtheywere，nordisobeyedthem。Iwas，lastnight，wakenedfrommysleep，asIlayinmyownchamber，andaccostedbythepersonwhomIhave