Duringmysojourninthedingle，myfoodhadbeenofthesimplestandmostunsatisfyingdescription，bynomeanscalculatedtosupporttheexertionwhichthelabourIhadbeenengageduponrequired；ithadconsistedofcoarseoatencakesandhardcheese，andforbeverageIhadbeenindebtedtoaneighbouringpit，inwhich，intheheatoftheday，Ifrequentlysaw，notgoldenorsilverfish，butfrogsandeftesswimmingabout。Iam，however，inclinedtobelievethatMrs。Herne’scakehadquiteasmuchtodowiththematterasinsufficientnourishment。Ihadneverentirelyrecoveredfromtheeffectsofitspoison，buthadoccasionally，especiallyatnight，beenvisitedbyagrindingpaininthestomach，andmywholebodyhadbeensuffusedwithcoldsweat；andindeedthesememorialsofthedrowhaveneverentirelydisappeared-evenatthepresenttimetheydisplaythemselvesinmysystem，especiallyaftermuchfatigueofbodyandexcitementofmind。SothereIsatinthedingleuponmystone，nervelessandhopeless，bywhatevercauseorcausesthatstatehadbeenproduced-thereIsatwithmyheadleaninguponmyhand，andsoIcontinuedalong，longtime。AtlastIliftedmyheadfrommyhand，andbegantocastanxious，unquietlooksaboutthedingle-theentirehollowwasnowenvelopedindeepshade-Icastmyeyesup；therewasagoldengleamonthetopsofthetreeswhichgrewtowardstheupperpartsofthedingle；butlowerdownallwasgloomandtwilight-yet，whenIfirstsatdownonmystone，thesunwasrightabovethedingle，illuminatingallitsdepthsbytherayswhichitcastperpendicularlydown-soImusthavesatalong，longtimeuponmystone。Andnow，oncemore，Irestedmyheaduponmyhand，butalmostinstantlylifteditagaininakindoffear，andbeganlookingattheobjectsbeforeme-theforge，thetools，thebranchesofthetrees，endeavouringtofollowtheirrows，tilltheywerelostinthedarknessofthedingle；andnowIfoundmyrighthandgraspingconvulsivelythethreefore-fingersoftheleft，firstcollectively，andthensuccessively，wringingthemtillthejointscracked；thenIbecamequiet，butnotforlong。
SuddenlyIstartedup，andcouldscarcelyrepresstheshriekwhichwasrisingtomylips。Wasitpossible？Yes，alltoocertain；theevilonewasuponme；theinscrutablehorrorwhichIhadfeltinmyboyhoodhadoncemoretakenpossessionofme。Ihadthoughtthatithadforsakenme-thatitwouldnevervisitmeagain；thatIhadoutgrownit；thatImightalmostbiddefiancetoit；andIhadevenbeguntothinkofitwithouthorror，asweareinthehabitofdoingofhorrorsofwhichweconceivewerunnodanger；andlo!
whenleastthoughtof，ithadseizedmeagain。EverymomentIfeltitgatheringforce，andmakingmemorewhollyitsown。WhatshouldIdo？-resist，ofcourse；andIdidresist。Igrasped，Itore，andstrovetoflingitfromme；butofwhatavailweremyefforts？
Icouldonlyhavegotridofitbygettingridofmyself：itwasapartofmyself，orratheritwasallmyself。Irushedamongstthetrees，andstruckatthemwithmybarefists，anddashedmyheadagainstthem，butIfeltnopain。HowcouldIfeelpainwiththathorroruponme？AndthenIflungmyselfontheground，gnawedtheearth，andswallowedit；andthenIlookedround；itwasalmosttotaldarknessinthedingle，andthedarknessaddedtomyhorror。
Icouldnolongerstaythere；upIrosefromtheground，andattemptedtoescape。AtthebottomofthewindingpathwhichleduptheacclivityIfelloversomethingwhichwaslyingontheground；thesomethingmoved，andgaveakindofwhine。Itwasmylittlehorse，whichhadmadethatplaceitslair；mylittlehorse；