Itwasnowconsiderablypastthree；myeyes，intheirinvoluntarywanderings，happenedtoalightuponthelargemirrorwhichwas，asIhavesaid，fixedinthewalloppositethefootofthebed。AviewofitwascommandedfromwhereIlay，throughthecurtains。AsIgazedfixedlyuponit，IthoughtIperceivedthebroadsheetofglassshiftingitspositioninrelationtothebed；Irivetedmyeyesuponitwithintensescrutiny；itwasnodeception，themirror，asifactingofitsownimpulse，movedslowlyaside，anddisclosedadarkapertureinthewall，nearlyaslargeasanordinarydoor；afigureevidentlystoodinthis，butthelightwastoodimtodefineitaccurately。
Itsteppedcautiouslyintothechamber，andwithsolittlenoise，thathadInotactuallyseenit，IdonotthinkIshouldhavebeenawareofitspresence。Itwasarrayedinakindofwoollennight-dress，andawhitehandkerchieforclothwasboundtightlyaboutthehead；Ihadnodifficulty，spiteofthestrangenessoftheattire，inrecognisingtheblindwomanwhomIsomuchdreaded。
Shestoopeddown，bringingherheadnearlytotheground，andinthatattitudesheremainedmotionlessforsomemoments，nodoubtinordertoascertainifanysuspicioussoundwerestirring。
Shewasapparentlysatisfiedbyherobservations，forsheimmediatelyrecommencedhersilentprogresstowardsaponderousmahoganydressing-tableofmyhusband’s。Whenshehadreachedit，shepausedagain，andappearedtolistenattentivelyforsomeminutes；shethennoiselesslyopenedoneofthedrawers，fromwhich，havinggropedforsometime，shetooksomething，whichIsoonperceivedtobeacaseofrazors。Sheopenedit，andtriedtheedgeofeachofthetwoinstrumentsupontheskinofherhand；shequicklyselectedone，whichshefixedfirmlyinhergrasp。Shenowstoopeddownasbefore，andhavinglistenedforatime，she，withthehandthatwasdisengaged，gropedherwayintothedressing-roomwhereLordGlenfallenlayfastasleep。
Iwasfixedasifinthetremendousspellofanightmare。Icouldnotstirevenafinger；Icouldnotliftmyvoice；Icouldnotevenbreathe；andthoughIexpectedeverymomenttoseethesleepingmanmurdered，Icouldnotevenclosemyeyestoshutoutthehorriblespectacle，whichI