“Monday，thereweretheoddjobsaboutthehousetobebegun。Hewasbythistimejustsoberenoughtodohiswork，andjusttipsyenoughtotakeaspitefulpleasureinpersecutinghiswife。Hewentoutandgotthethingshewanted，andcamebackandcalledforme。Askilledworkmanlikehewashesaidwantedajourneymanunderhim。Therewerethingswhichitwasbeneathaskilledworkmantodoforhimself。Hewasnotgoingtocallinamanoraboy，andthenhavetopaythem。Hewasgoingtogetitdonefornothing，andhemeanttomakeajourneymanof_me。_Halftipsyandhalfsober，hewentontalkinglikethat，andlayingouthisthings，allquiteright，ashewantedthem。Whentheywerereadyhestraightenedhimselfup，andhegavemehisorderswhatIwastodo。
“Iobeyedhimtothebestofmyability。Whateverhesaid，andwhateverhedid，Iknewhewasgoingasstraightasmancouldgotohisowndeathbymyhands。
“Theratsandmicewerealloverthehouse，andtheplacegenerallywasoutofrepair。Heoughttohavebegunonthekitchen-floor；buthavingsentencepronouncedagainsthimhebeganintheemptyparlorsontheground-floor。
“Theseparlorswereseparatedbywhatiscalleda’lath-and-plasterwall。’Theratshaddamagedit。Atoneparttheyhadgnawedthroughandspoiledthepaper，atanotherparttheyhadnotgotsofar。Thelandlord’sordersweretosparethepaper，becausehehadsomebyhimtomatchit。Myhusbandbeganataplacewherethepaperwaswhole。UnderhisdirectionsI
mixedup——Iwon’tsaywhat。Withthehelpofithegotthepaperloosefromthewall，withoutinjuringitinanyway，inalonghangingstrip。Underitwastheplasterandthelaths，gnawedawayinplacesbytherats。Thoughstrictlyapaperhangerbytrade，hecouldbeplasterertoowhenheliked。Isawhowhecutawaytherottenlathsandrippedofftheplaster；andunderhisdirectionsagainImixedupthenewplasterhewanted，andhandedhimthenewlaths，andsawhowhesetthem。Iwon’tsayawordabouthowthiswasdoneeither。
“Ihaveareasonforkeepingsilencehere，whichis，tomymind，averydreadfulone。Ineverythingthatmyhusbandmademedothatdayhewasshowingmeblindfoldthewaytokillhim，sothatnolivingsoul，inthepoliceoroutofit，couldsuspectmeofthedeed。
“Wefinishedthejobonthewalljustbeforedark。Iwenttomycupoftea，andhewenttohisbottleofgin。
“Ilefthim，drinkinghard，toputourtwobedroomstidyforthenight。TheplacethathisbedhappenedtobesetinwhichIhadneverremarkedparticularlybeforeseemed，inamannerofspeaking，toforceitselfonmynoticenow。
“Theheadofthebedsteadwassetagainstthewallwhichdividedhisroomfrommine。FromlookingatthebedsteadIgottolookingatthewallnext。Thentowonderingwhatitwasmadeof。Thentorappingagainstitwithmyknuckles。Thesoundtoldmetherewasnothingbutlathandplasterunderthepaper。Itwasthesameasthewallwehadbeenatworkondownstairs。Wehadclearedourwaysofarthroughthislast——incertainplaceswheretherepairsweremostneeded——thatwehadtobecarefulnottoburstthroughthepaperintheroomontheotherside。Ifoundmyselfcallingtomindthecautionmyhusbandhadgivenmewhilewewereatthispartofthework，wordforwordashehadspokenit。_’Takecareyoudon’tfindyourhandsinthenextroom。’_Thatwaswhathehadsaiddownintheparlor。UpinhisbedroomIkeptonrepeatingitinmyownmind——withmyeyesallthewhileonthekey，whichhehadmovedtotheinnersideofthedoortolockhimselfin——tilltheknowledgeofwhatitmeantburstonmelikeaflashoflight。Ilookedatthewall，atthebedhead，atmyowntwohands——andIshiveredasifitwaswintertime。
“HoursmusthavepassedlikeminuteswhileIwasupstairsthatnight。Ilostallcountoftime。Whenmyhusbandcameupfromhisdrinking，hefoundmeinhisroom。
“Ileavetherestuntold，andpassonpurposelytothenextmorning。
“Nomortaleyesbutminewilleverseetheselines。Still，therearethingsawomancan’twriteofeventoherself。Ishallonlysaythis。Isufferedthelastandworstofmanyindignitiesatmyhusband’shands——attheverytimewhenIfirstsaw，setplainlybeforeme，thewaytotakehislife。Hewentouttowardnoonnextday，togohisroundsamongthepublichouses；mymindbeingthenstrunguptodelivermyselffromhim，forgoodandall，whenhecamebackatnight。
“Thethingswehadusedonthepreviousdaywereleftintheparlor。Iwasallbymyselfinthehouse，freetoputinpracticethelessonhehadtaughtme。Iprovedmyselfanaptscholar。
BeforethelampswerelitinthestreetIhadmyownwaypreparedinmybedroomandinhisforlayingmyownhandsonhim——afterhehadlockedhimselfupforthenight。
“Idon’trememberfeelingeitherfearordoubtthroughallthosehours。Isatdowntomybitofsupperwithnobetterandnoworseanappetitethanusual。TheonlychangeinmethatIcancalltomindwasthatIfeltasingularlongingtohavesomebodywithmetokeepmecompany。Havingnofriendtoaskin，Iwenttothestreetdoorandstoodlookingatthepeoplepassingthiswayandthat。
“Astraydog，sniffingabout，cameuptome。GenerallyIdislikedogsandbeastsofallkinds。Icalledthisoneinandgavehimhissupper。HehadbeentaughtIsupposetosituponhishind-legsandbegforfood；atanyrate，thatwashiswayofaskingmeformore。Ilaughed——itseemsimpossiblewhenIlookbackatitnow，butforallthatit’strue——Ilaughedtillthetearsrandownmycheeks，atthelittlebeastonhishaunches，withhisearsprickedupandhisheadononesideandhismouthwateringforthevictuals。IwonderwhetherIwasinmyrightsenses？Idon’tknow。
“Whenthedoghadgotallhecouldgethewhinedtobeletouttoroamthestreetsagain。
“AsIopenedthedoortoletthecreaturegohisways，Isawmyhusbandcrossingtheroadtocomein。’Keepout’Isaystohim；
’to-night，ofallnights，keepout。’Hewastoodrunktoheedme；
hepassedby，andblunderedhiswayupstairs。Ifollowedandlistened。Iheardhimopenhisdoor，andbangitto，andlockit。
Iwaitedabit，andwentupanotherstairortwo。Iheardhimdropdownontohisbed。Inaminutemorehewasfastasleepandsnoring。
“Ithadallhappenedasitwaswantedtohappen。Intwominutes——withoutdoingonesinglethingtobringsuspiciononmyself——Icouldhavesmotheredhim。Iwentintomyownroom。I
tookupthetowelthatIhadlaidready。Iwaswithinaninchofit——whentherecamearushofsomethingupintomyhead。Ican’tsaywhatitwas。Icanonlysaythehorrorslaidholdofmeandhuntedmethenandthereoutofthehouse。
“Iputonmybonnet，andslippedthekeyofthestreetdoorintomypocket。Itwasonlyhalfpastnine——ormaybeaquartertoten。
IfIhadanyoneclearnotioninmyhead，itwasthenotionofrunningaway，andneverallowingmyselftoseteyesonthehouseorthehusbandmore。
“Iwentupthestreet——andcameback。Iwentdownthestreet——andcameback。Itrieditathirdtime，andwentroundandroundandround——andcameback。ItwasnottobedoneThehouseheldmechainedtoitlikeadogtohiskennel。Icouldn’tkeepawayfromit。Forthelifeofme，Icouldn’tkeepawayfromit。
“Acompanyofgayyoungmenandwomenpassedme，justasIwasgoingtoletmyselfinagain。Theywereinagreathurry。’Stepout，’saysoneofthemen；’thetheatre’scloseby，andweshallbejustintimeforthefarce。’Iturnedaboutandfollowedthem。
Havingbeenpiouslybroughtup，Ihadneverbeeninsideatheatreinmylife。ItstruckmethatImightgettaken，asitwere，outofmyself，ifIsawsomethingthatwasquitestrangetome，andheardsomethingwhichwouldputnewthoughtsintomymind。
“Theywentintothepit；andIwentinafterthem。
“Thethingtheycalledthefarcehadbegun。Menandwomencameontothestage，turnandturnabout，andtalked，andwentoffagain。Beforelongallthepeopleaboutmeinthepitwerelaughingandclappingtheirhands。Thenoisetheymadeangeredme。Idon’tknowhowtodescribethestateIwasin。Myeyeswouldn’tserveme，andmyearswouldn’tserveme，toseeandtohearwhattherestofthemwereseeingandhearing。Theremusthavebeensomething，Ifancy，inmymindthatgotitselfbetweenmeandwhatwasgoingonuponthestage。Theplaylookedfairenoughonthesurface；buttherewasdangeranddeathatthebottomofit。Theplayersweretalkingandlaughingtodeceivethepeople——withmurderintheirmindsallthetime。Andnobodyknewitbutme——andmytonguewastiedwhenItriedtotelltheothers。Igotup，andranout。ThemomentIwasinthestreetmystepsturnedbackofthemselvesonthewaytothehouse。Icalledacab，andtoldthemantodriveasfarasashillingwouldtakemetheoppositeway。Heputmedown——Idon’tknowwhere。AcrossthestreetIsawaninscriptioninlettersofflameoveranopendoor。Themansaiditwasadancing-place。Dancingwasasnewtomeasplay-going。Ihadonemoreshillingleft；andIpaidtogoin，andseewhatasightofthedancingwoulddoforme。Thelightfromtheceilingpoureddowninthisplaceasifitwasallonfire。Thecrashingofthemusicwasdreadful。Thewhirlingroundandroundofmenandwomenineachother’sarmswasquitemaddeningtosee。Idon’tknowwhathappenedtomehere。Thegreatblazeoflightfromtheceilingturnedblood-redonasudden。ThemanstandinginfrontofthemusicianswavingasticktookthelikenessofSatan，asseeninthepictureinourfamilyBibleathome。Thewhirlingmenandwomenwentroundandround，withwhitefaceslikethefacesofthedead，andbodiesrobedinwinding-sheets。Iscreamedoutwiththeterrorofit；andsomepersontookmebythearmandputmeoutsidethedoor。Thedarknessdidmegood：itwascomfortinganddelicious——likeacoolhandlaidonahothead。Iwentwalkingonthroughit，withoutknowingwhere；composingmymindwiththebeliefthatI
hadlostmyway，andthatIshouldfindmyselfmilesdistantfromhomewhenmorningdawned。AftersometimeIgottoowearytogoon；andIsatmedowntorestonadoor-step。Idozedabit，andwokeup。WhenIgotonmyfeettogoonagain，Ihappenedtoturnmyheadtowardthedoorofthehouse。Thenumberonitwasthesamenumberanasours。Ilookedagain。Andbehold，itwasourstepsIhadbeenrestingon。Thedoorwasourdoor。
“AllmydoubtsandallmystrugglesdroppedoutofmymindwhenI
madethatdiscovery。Therewasnomistakingwhatthisperpetualcomingbacktothehousemeant。ResistitasImight，itwastobe。
“Iopenedthestreetdoorandwentupstairs，andheardhimsleepinghisheavysleep，exactlyasIhadheardhimwhenIwentout。Isatdownonmybedandtookoffmybonnet，quitequietinmyself，becauseIknewitwastobe。Idampedthetowel，andputitready，andtookaturnintheroom。
“Itwasjustthedawnofday。Thesparrowswerechirpingamongthetreesinthesquarehardby。
“Idrewupmyblind；thefaintlightspoketomeasifinwords，’Doitnow，beforeIgetbrighter，andshowtoomuch。’
“Ilistened。Thefriendlysilencehadawordformetoo：’Doitnow，andtrustthesecrettoMe。’
“Iwaitedtillthechurchclockchimedbeforestrikingthehour。
Atthefirststroke——withouttouchingthelockofhisdoor，withoutsettingfootinhisroom——Ihadthetoweloverhisface。
Beforethelaststrokehehadceasedstruggling。Whenthehumofthebellthroughthemorningsilencewasstillanddead，_he_wasstillanddeadwithit。