Asingularnotiondawneduponme。Idoubtednot—neverdoubted—thatifMr。Reedhadbeenalivehewouldhavetreatedmekindly;andnow，asIsatlookingatthewhitebedandovershadowedwalls—occasionallyalsoturningafascinatedeyetowardsthedimlygleaningmirror—IbegantorecallwhatIhadheardofdeadmen，troubledintheirgravesbytheviolationoftheirlastwishes，revisitingtheearthtopunishtheperjuredandavengetheoppressed;andIthoughtMr。Reed’sspirit，harassedbythewrongsofhissister’schild，mightquititsabode—whetherinthechurchvaultorintheunknownworldofthedeparted—andrisebeforemeinthischamber。Iwipedmytearsandhushedmysobs，fearfullestanysignofviolentgriefmightwakenapreternaturalvoicetocomfortme，orelicitfromthegloomsomehaloedface，bendingovermewithstrangepity。Thisidea，consolatoryintheory，Ifeltwouldbeterribleifrealised:withallmymightIendeavouredtostifleit—Iendeavouredtobefirm。Shakingmyhairfrommyeyes，Iliftedmyheadandtriedtolookboldlyroundthedarkroom;atthismomentalightgleamedonthewall。Wasit，Iaskedmyself，arayfromthemoonpenetratingsomeapertureintheblind？No;moonlightwasstill，andthisstirred;whileIgazed，itglideduptotheceilingandquiveredovermyhead。Icannowconjecturereadilythatthisstreakoflightwas，inalllikelihood，agleamfromalanterncarriedbysomeoneacrossthelawn:butthen，preparedasmymindwasforhorror，shakenasmynerveswerebyagitation，Ithoughttheswiftdartingbeamwasaheraldofsomecomingvisionfromanotherworld。Myheartbeatthick，myheadgrewhot;asoundfilledmyears，whichIdeemedtherushingofwings;somethingseemednearme;Iwasoppressed，suffocated:endurancebrokedown;Irushedtothedoorandshookthelockindesperateeffort。Stepscamerunningalongtheouterpassage;thekeyturned，BessieandAbbotentered。
“MissEyre，areyouill？”saidBessie。
“Whatadreadfulnoise！itwentquitethroughme！”exclaimedAbbot。
“Takemeout！Letmegointothenursery！”wasmycry。
“Whatfor？Areyouhurt？Haveyouseensomething？”againdemandedBessie。