THEservant，appearingthenextmorninginAnne’sroomwiththebreakfasttray，closedthedoorwithanairofmystery，andannouncedthatstrangethingsweregoingoninthehouse。
“Didyouhearnothinglastnight，ma’am，“sheasked，“downstairsinthepassage？“
“IthoughtIheardsomevoiceswhisperingoutsidemyroom，“Annereplied。“Hasanythinghappened？“
Extricatedfromtheconfusioninwhichsheinvolvedit，thegirl’snarrativeamountedinsubstancetothis。Shehadbeenstartledbythesuddenappearanceofhermistressinthepassage，staringaboutherwildly，likeawomanwhohadgoneoutofhersenses。Almostatthesamemoment“themaster“hadflungopenthedrawing-roomdoor。HehadcaughtMrs。Dethridgebythearm，haddraggedherintotheroom，andhadclosedthedooragain。Afterthetwohadremainedshutuptogetherformorethanhalfanhour，Mrs。Dethridgehadcomeout，aspaleasashes，andhadgoneupstairstremblinglikeapersoningreatterror。Sometimelater，whentheservantwasinbed，butnotasleep，shehadseenalightunderherdoor，inthenarrowwoodenpassagewhichseparatedAnne’sbedroomfromHester’sbedroom，andbywhichsheobtainedaccesstoherownlittlesleeping-chamberbeyond。Shehadgotoutofbed；hadlookedthroughthekeyhole；andhadseen“themaster“
andMrs。Dethridgestandingtogetherexaminingthewallsofthepassage。“Themaster“hadlaidhishanduponthewall，onthesideofhiswife’sroom，andhadlookedatMrs。Dethridge。AndMrs。Dethridgehadlookedbackathim，andhadshakenherhead。