Therewasstilllightintheroom，forwhenhefirstgraspedherwithbothhishands，hehadputthelampdownonasmalltable。Nowtheywererollingonthefloortogether，andtwicehehadessayedtokneelonherthathemightthuscrushthebreathfromherbody，anddepriveheraltogetherofherstrength；butshehadbeentooactiveforhim，movingherselfalongtheground，thoughindoingsoshedraggedhimwithher。Butbydegreeshegotonehandatliberty，andwiththathepulledaclaspknifeoutofhispocketandopenedit。\"Iwillcutyourheadoffifyoudonotletgomyhair，\"hesaid。Butstillsheheldfastbyhim。Hethenstabbedatherarm，usinghislefthandandmakingshort，ineffectualblows。Herdresspartlysavedher，andpartlyalsothecontinualmovementofallherlimbs；but，nevertheless，theknifewoundedher。Itwoundedherinseveralplacesaboutthearm，coveringthembothwithblood；——butstillshehungon。Soclosewashergraspinheragony，that，assheafterwardsfound，shecuttheskinofherownhandswithherownnails。Hadtheman’shairbeenlessthickorstrong，orherowntenacitylesssteadfast，hewouldhavemurderedherbeforeanyinterruptioncouldhavesavedher。
Andyethehadnotpurposedtomurderher，oreven，inthefirstinstance，toinflictonheranybodilyharm。Buthehadbeendeterminedtogetmoney。Withsuchasumofmoneyashehadnamed，itmight，hethought，bepossibleforhimtowinhiswayacrosstoAmerica。Hemightbribementohidehimintheholdofaship，andthustheremightbeforhim，atanyrate，apossibilityofescape。
Thattheremustbemoneyinthehousehehadstillthoughtwhenfirsthelaidhandsonthepoorwoman；andthen，whenthestrugglehadoncebegun，whenhehadfelthermusclescontendingwithhis，thepassionofthebeastwasarousedwithinhim，andhestroveagainstherashewouldhavestrivenagainstadog。Butyet，whentheknifewasinhishand，hehadnotdrivenitagainstherheart。
Thensuddenly，whiletheywereyetrollingonthefloor，therewasasoundoffootstepsinthepassage。AaronTrowinstantlyleapedtohisfeet，leavinghisvictimontheground，withhugelumpsofhisthickclottedhairinherhand。Thus，andthusonly，couldhehaveliberatedhimselffromhergrasp。Herushedatthedoor，andtherehecameagainstthetwonegroservant—girlswhohadreturneddowntotheirkitchenfromtheroadonwhichtheyhadbeenstraying。Trow，ashehalfsawtheminthedark，notknowinghowmanytheremightbe，orwhethertherewasamanamongthem，rushedthroughthem，upsettingonescaredgirlinhispassage。Withtheinstinctandwiththetimidityofabeast，hisimpulsenowwastoescape，andhehurriedawaybacktotheroadandtohislair，leavingthethreewomentogetherinthecottage。Poorwretch！Ashecrossedtheroad，notskulkinginhisimpotenthaste，butrunningathisbest，anotherpairofeyessawhim，andwhenthesearchbecamehotafterhim，itwasknownthathishiding—placewasnotdistant。
Itwassometimebeforeanyofthewomenwereabletoact，andwhensomestepwastaken，Anastasiawasthefirsttotakeit。Shehadnotabsolutelyswooned，butthereaction，aftertheviolenceofherefforts，wassogreat，thatforsomeminutesshehadbeenunabletospeak。ShehadrisenfromthefloorwhenTrowlefther，andhadevenfollowedhimtothedoor；butsincethatshehadfallenbackintoherfather’soldarm—chair，andtheresatgaspingnotonlyforwords，butforbreathalso。