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Iimmediatelyheardhisvoiceinanimatedconversation。Mycuriosityuponthesubjectoftheletterwasnaturallygreat，so，smotheringanylittlescrupleswhichI
mighthavefelt，Iresolvedtolookattheaddressoftheletterwhichlay，asmyhusbandhadleftit，withitsfaceuponthetable。Iaccordinglydrewitovertomeandturnedupthedirection。
FortwoorthreemomentsIcouldscarcebelievemyeyes，buttherecouldbenomistake——inlargecharactersweretracedthewords，’TotheArchangelGabrielinHeaven。’
Ihadscarcelyreturnedthelettertoitsoriginalposition，andinsomedegreerecoveredtheshockwhichthisunequivocalproofofinsanityproduced，whentheclosetdoorwasunlocked，andLordGlenfallenre-enteredthestudy，carefullyclosingandlockingthedooragainupontheoutside。
’Whomhaveyouthere？’inquiredI，makingastrongefforttoappearcalm。
’Perhaps，’saidhe，musingly，’youmighthavesomeobjectiontoseeingher，atleastforatime。’
’Whoisit？’repeatedI。
’Why，’saidhe，’Iseenouseinhidingit——theblindDutchwoman。Ihavebeenwithherthewholemorning。Sheisveryanxioustogetoutofthatcloset；butyouknowsheisodd，sheisscarcelytobetrusted。’
Aheavygustofwindshookthedooratthismomentwithasoundasifsomethingmoresubstantialwerepushingagainstit。
’Ha，ha，ha!——doyouhearher？’
saidhe，withanobstreperousburstoflaughter。
Thewinddiedawayinalonghowl，andLordGlenfallen，suddenlycheckinghismerriment，shruggedhisshoulders，andmuttered：
’Poordevil，shehasbeenhardlyused。’
’Wehadbetternotteaseheratpresentwithquestions，’saidI，inasunconcernedatoneasIcouldassume，althoughIfelteverymomentasifIshouldfaint。
’Humph!maybeso，’saidhe。’Well，comebackinanhourortwo，orwhenyouplease，andyouwillfindushere。’
Heagainunlockedthedoor，andenteredwiththesameprecautionswhichhehadadoptedbefore，lockingthedoorupontheinside；andasIhurriedfromtheroom，I
heardhisvoiceagainexertedasifineagerparley。
Icanhardlydescribemyemotions；myhopeshadbeenraisedtothehighest，andnow，inaninstant，allwasgone——thedreadfulconsummationwasaccomplished——
thefearfulretributionhadfallenupontheguiltyman——themindwasdestroyed——thepowertorepentwasgone。
TheagonyofthehourswhichfollowedwhatIwouldstillcallmyAWFUL
interviewwithLordGlenfallen，Icannotdescribe；mysolitudewas，however，brokeninuponbyMartha，whocametoinformmeofthearrivalofagentleman，whoexpectedmeintheparlour。
Iaccordinglydescended，and，tomygreatjoy，foundmyfatherseatedbythefire。
Thisexpeditionuponhispartwaseasilyaccountedfor：mycommunicationshadtouchedthehonourofthefamily。I
speedilyinformedhimofthedreadfulmaladywhichhadfallenuponthewretchedman。
Myfathersuggestedthenecessityofplacingsomepersontowatchhim，topreventhisinjuringhimselforothers。
Irangthebell，anddesiredthatoneEdwardCooke，anattachedservantofthefamily，shouldbesenttome。
Itoldhimdistinctlyandbrieflythenatureoftheservicerequiredofhim，and，attendedbyhim，myfatherandI
proceededatoncetothestudy。Thedooroftheinnerroomwasstillclosed，andeverythingintheouterchamberremainedinthesameorderinwhichIhadleftit。
Wethenadvancedtothecloset-door，atwhichweknocked，butwithoutreceivinganyanswer。
Wenexttriedtoopenthedoor，butinvain——itwaslockedupontheinside。
Weknockedmoreloudly，butinvain。
Seriouslyalarmed，Idesiredtheservanttoforcethedoor，whichwas，afterseveralviolentefforts，accomplished，andweenteredthecloset。
LordGlenfallenwaslyingonhisfaceuponasofa。
’Hush!’saidI，’heisasleep。’Wepausedforamoment。
’Heistoostillforthat，’saidmyfather。
Weallofusfeltastrongreluctancetoapproachthefigure。
’Edward，’saidI，’trywhetheryourmastersleeps。’
TheservantapproachedthesofawhereLordGlenfallenlay。Heleanthiseartowardstheheadoftherecumbentfigure，toascertainwhetherthesoundofbreathingwasaudible。Heturnedtowardsus，andsaid：
’Mylady，youhadbetternotwaithere；
Iamsureheisdead!’
’Letmeseetheface，’saidI，terriblyagitated；’youMAYbemistaken。’
Themanthen，inobediencetomycommand，turnedthebodyround，and，graciousGod!whatasightmetmyview。Hewas，indeed，perfectlydead。
Thewholebreastoftheshirt，withitslacefrill，wasdrenchedw
