Shesternlymadethesignofrefusal：sheresolutelyopenedthedoortoleavehim。“DoyouwantyourConfessionback？“heasked。
Sheclosedthedoor，stolidlysubmissiveinaninstant；andcrossedtothepartitionwall。
Sheliftedtheloosestripsofpaperoneithersideofthewall——pointedthroughthehollowedplace——anddrewbackagaintotheotherendoftheroom。
Heroseandwalkedunsteadilyfromthechairtothefootofhisbed。Holdingbythewood-workofthebed；hewaitedalittle。
Whilehewaited，hebecameconsciousofachangeinthestrangesensationsthatpossessedhim。Afeelingasofabreathofcoldairpassedovertherightsideofhishead。Hebecamesteadyagain：hecouldcalculatehisdistances：hecouldputhishandsthroughthehollowedplace，anddrawasidethelightcurtains，hangingfromthehookintheceilingovertheheadofherbed。Hecouldlookathissleepingwife。
Shewasdimlyvisible，bythelightofthecandleplacedattheotherendofherroom。Thewornandwearylookhaddisappearedfromherface。Allthathadbeenpurestandsweetestinit，intheby-gonetime，seemedtoberenewedbythedeepsleepthatheldhergently。Shewasyoungagaininthedimlight：shewasbeautifulinhercalmrepose。Herheadlaybackonthepillow。
Herupturnedfacewasinapositionwhichplacedhercompletelyatthemercyofthemanunderwhoseeyesshewassleeping——themanwhowaslookingather，withthemercilessresolutioninhimtotakeherlife。
Afterwaitingawhile，hedrewback。“She’smorelikeachildthanawomanto-night，“hemutteredtohimselfunderhisbreath。
HeglancedacrosstheroomatHesterDethridge。Thelightedcandlewhichshehadbroughtupstairswithherwasburningneartheplacewhereshestood。“Blowitout，“hewhispered。Shenevermoved。Herepeatedthedirection。Thereshestood，deaftohim。
Whatwasshedoing？Shewaslookingfixedlyintooneofthecornersoftheroom。
Heturnedhisheadagaintowardthehollowedplaceinthewall。
Helookedatthepeacefulfaceonthepillowoncemore。Hedeliberatelyrevivedhisownvindictivesenseofthedebtthatheowedher。“Butforyou，“hewhisperedtohimself，“Ishouldhavewontherace：butforyou，Ishouldhavebeenfriendswithmyfather：butforyou，ImightmarryMrs。Glenarm。“Heturnedbackagainintotheroomwhilethesenseofitwasatitsfiercestinhim。Helookedroundandroundhim。Hetookupatowel；
consideredforamoment；andthrewitdownagain。
Anewideastruckhim。Intwostepshewasatthesideofhisbed。Heseizedononeofthepillows，andlookedsuddenlyatHester。“It’snotadrunkenbrute，thistime，“hesaidtoher。
“It’sawomanwhowillfightforherlife。Thepillow’sthesafestofthetwo。“Sheneveransweredhim，andneverlookedtowardhim。Hemadeoncemorefortheplaceinthewall；andstoppedmidwaybetweenitandhisbed——stopped，andcastabackwardglanceoverhisshoulder。
HesterDethridgewasstirringatlast。
Withnothirdpersonintheroom，shewaslooking，andmoving，nevertheless，asifshewasfollowingathirdpersonalongthewall，fromthecorner。Herlipswerepartedinhorror；hereyes，openingwiderandwider，staredrigidandglitteringattheemptywall。StepbystepshestolenearerandnearertoGeoffrey，stillfollowingsomevisionaryThing，whichwasstealingnearerandnearer，too。Heaskedhimselfwhatitmeant。Wastheterrorofthedeedthathewasabouttodomorethanthewoman’sbraincouldbear？Wouldsheburstoutscreaming，andwakehiswife？
Hehurriedtotheplaceinthewall——toseizethechance，whilethechancewashis。
Hesteadiedhisstrongholdonthepillow。
Hestoopedtopassitthroughtheopening。
HepoiseditoverAnne’ssleepingface。
AtthesamemomenthefeltHesterDethridge’shandlaidonhimfrombehind。Thetouchranthroughhim，fromheadtofoot，likeatouchofice。Hedrewbackwithastart，andfacedher。Hereyeswerestaringstraightoverhisshoulderatsomethingbehindhim——lookingastheyhadlookedinthegardenatWindygates。
Beforehecouldspeakhefelttheflashofhereyesin_his_
eyes。Forthethirdtime，shehadseentheApparitionbehindhim。
Thehomicidalfrenzypossessedher。Sheflewathisthroatlikeawildbeast。Thefeebleoldwomanattackedtheathlete!
Hedroppedthepillow，andliftedhisterriblerightarmtobrushherfromhim，ashemighthavebrushedaninsectfromhim。
Evenasheraisedthearmafrightfuldistortionseizedonhisface。Asifwithaninvisiblehand，itdraggeddownthebrowandtheeyelidontheright；itdraggeddownthemouthonthesameside。Hisarmfellhelpless；hiswholebody，onthesideunderthearm，gaveway。Hedroppedonthefloor，likeamanshotdead。
HesterDethridgepouncedonhisprostratebody——kneltonhisbroadbreast——andfastenedhertenfingersonhisthroat。
TheshockofthefallwokeAnneontheinstant。Shestartedup——lookedround——andsawagapinthewallattheheadofherbed，andthecandle-lightglimmeringinthenextroom。
Panic-stricken；doubting，forthemoment，ifshewereinherrightmind，shedrewback，waiting——listening——looking。Shesawnothingbuttheglimmeringlightintheroom；sheheardnothingbutahoarsegasping，asofsomepersonlaboringforbreath。Thesoundceased。Therewasanintervalofsilence。ThentheheadofHesterDethridgeroseslowlyintosightthroughthegapinthewall——rosewiththeglitteringlightofmadnessintheeyes，andlookedather。
Sheflewtotheopenwindow，andscreamedforhelp。
SirPatrick’svoiceansweredher，fromtheroadinfrontofthecottage。
“Waitforme，forGod’ssake!“shecried。
Shefledfromtheroom，andrusheddownthestairs。Inanothermoment，shehadopenedthedoor，andwasoutinthefrontgarden。
Assherantothegate，sheheardthevoiceofastrangemanontheothersideofit。SirPatrickcalledtoherencouragingly。
“Thepolicemaniswithus，“hesaid。“Hepatrolsthegardenatnight——hehasakey。“Ashespokethegatewasopenedfromtheoutside。ShesawSirPatrick，Arnold，andthepoliceman。Shestaggeredtowardthemastheycamein——shewasjustabletosay，“Upstairs!“beforehersensesfailedher。SirPatricksavedherfromfalling。Heplacedheronthebenchinthegarden，andwaitedbyher，whileArnoldandthepolicemanhurriedintothecottage。
“Wherefirst？“askedArnold。
“Theroomtheladycalledfrom，“saidthepolicemanTheymountedthestairs，andenteredAnne’sroom。Thegapinthewallwasinstantlyobservedbybothofthem。Theylookedthroughit。
GeoffreyDelamayn’sdeadbodylayonthefloor。HesterDethridgewaskneelingathishead，praying。