Shewasstandingmotionlessinthemiddleoftheroom——notlikealivingwoman——likeamachinewaitingtobesetinmovement。
　　Findingituselesstospeaktoher，hetouchedherwithastrangesensationofshrinkinginhimashedidit，andpointedtothepartitionwall。
　　Thetouchrousedher。Withslowstepandvacantface——movingasifshewaswalkinginhersleep——sheledthewaytothepaperedwall；kneltdownattheskirting-board；and，takingouttwosmallsharpnails，liftedupalongstripofthepaperwhichhadbeendetachedfromtheplasterbeneath。Mountingonachair，sheturnedbackthestripandpinneditup，outoftheway，usingthetwonails，whichshehadkeptreadyinherhand。
　　Bythelastdimraysoftwilight，Geoffreylookedatthewall。
　　Ahollowspacemethisview。Atadistanceofsomethreefeetfromthefloor，thelathshadbeensawnaway，andtheplasterhadbeenrippedout，piecemeal，soastoleaveacavity，sufficientinheightandwidthtoallowfreepowerofworkinginanydirection，toaman’sarms。Thecavitycompletelypiercedthesubstanceofthewall。Nothingbutthepaperontheothersidepreventedeyeorhandfrompenetratingintothenextroom。
　　HesterDethridgegotdownfromthechair，andmadesignsforalight。
　　Geoffreytookamatchfromthebox。Thesamestrangeuncertaintywhichhadalreadypossessedhisfeet，appearednowtopossesshishands。Hestruckthematchtooheavilyagainstthesandpaper，andbrokeit。Hetriedanother，andstruckittoolightlytokindletheflame。Hestertooktheboxoutofhishands。Havinglitthecandle，shehelditlow，andpointedtotheskirting-board。
　　Twolittlehookswerefixedintothefloor，nearthepartofthewallfromwhichthepaperhadbeenremoved。Twolengthsoffineandstrongstringweretwistedonceortwiceroundthehooks。Thelooseendsofthestringextendingtosomelengthbeyondthetwistedparts，wereneatlycoiledawayagainsttheskirting-board。Theotherends，drawntight，disappearedintwosmallholesdrilledthroughthewall，ataheightofafootfromthefloor。
　　Afterfirstuntwistingthestringsfromthehooks，Hesterrose，andheldthecandlesoastolightthecavityinthewall。Twomorepiecesofthefinestringwereseenhere，restinglooseupontheunevensurfacewhichmarkedthelowerboundaryofthehollowedspace。Liftingthesehigherstrings，Hesterliftedtheloosenedpaperinthenextroom——thelowerstrings，whichhadpreviouslyheldthestripfirmandflatagainstthesoundportionofthewall，workingintheirholes，andallowingthepapertomoveupfreely。Asitrosehigherandhigher，Geoffreysawthinstripsofcottonwoollightlyattached，atintervals，tothebackofthepaper，soaseffectuallytopreventitfrommakingagratingsoundagainstthewall。Upandupitcameslowly，tillitcouldbepulledthroughthehollowspace，andpinnedupoutoftheway，asthestrippreviouslyliftedhadbeenpinnedbeforeit。Hesterdrewback，andmadewayforGeoffreytolookthrough。
　　TherewasAnne’sroom，visiblethroughthewall!Hesoftlypartedthelightcurtainsthathangoverthebed。Therewasthepillow，onwhichherheadwouldrestatnight，withinreachofhishands!
　　Thedeadlydexterityofitstruckhimcold。Hisnervesgaveway。
　　Hedrewbackwithastartofguiltyfear，andlookedroundtheroom。Apocketflaskofbrandylayonthetableathisbedside。
　　Hesnatcheditup，andemptieditatadraught——andfeltlikehimselfagain。
　　HebeckonedtoHestertoapproachhim。
　　“Beforewegoanyfurther，“hesaid，“there’sonethingIwanttoknow。Howisitalltobeputrightagain？Supposethisroomisexamined？Thosestringswillshow。“
　　Hesteropenedacupboardandproducedajar。Shetookoutthecork。Therewasamixtureinsidewhichlookedlikeglue。Partlybysigns，andpartlybyhelpoftheslate，sheshowedhowthemixturecouldbeappliedtothebackoftheloosenedstripofpaperinthenextroom——howthepapercouldbegluedtothesoundlowerpartofthewallbytighteningthestrings——howthestrings，havingservedthatpurpose，couldbesafelyremoved——howthesameprocesscouldbefollowedinGeoffrey’sroom，afterthehollowedplacehadbeenfilledupagainwiththematerialswaitinginthescullery，orevenwithoutfillingupthehollowedplaceifthetimefailedfordoingit。Ineithercase，therefastenedpaperwouldhideeverything，andthewallwouldtellnotales。
　　Geoffreywassatisfied。Hepointednexttothetowelsinhisroom。
　　“Takeoneofthem，“hesaid，“andshowmehowyoudidit，withyourownhands。“
　　Ashesaidthewords，Anne’svoicereachedhisearfrombelow，callingfor“Mrs。Dethridge。“
　　Itwasimpossibletosaywhatmighthappennext。Inanotherminute，shemightgouptoherroom，anddiscovereverything。
　　Geoffreypointedtothewall。
　　“Putitrightagain，“hesaid。“Instantly!“
　　Itwassoondone。Allthatwasnecessarywastoletthetwostripsofpaperdropbackintotheirplaces——tofastenthestriptothewallinAnne’sroom，bytighteningthetwolowerstrings——andthentoreplacethenailswhichheldtheloosestriponGeoffrey’sside。Inaminute，thewallhadreassumeditscustomaryaspect。
　　Theystoleout，andlookedoverthestairsintothepassagebelow。Aftercallinguselesslyforthesecondtime，Anneappeared，crossedovertothekitchen；and，returningagainwiththekettleinherhand，closedthedrawing-roomdoor。
　　HesterDethridgewaitedimpenetrablytoreceivehernextdirections。Therewerenofurtherdirectionstogive。Thehideousdramaticrepresentationofthewoman’scrimeforwhichGeoffreyhadaskedwasinnorespectnecessary：themeanswereallprepared，andthemannerofusingthemwasself-evident。Nothingbuttheopportunity，andtheresolutiontoprofitbyit，werewantingtoleadthewaytotheend。GeoffreysignedtoHestertogodownstairs。
　　“Getbackintothekitchen，“hesaid，“beforeshecomesoutagain。Ishallkeepinthegarden。Whenshegoesupintoherroomforthenight，showyourselfattheback-door——andIshallknow。“
　　Hestersetherfootonthefirststair——stopped——turnedround——andlookedslowlyalongthetwowallsofthepassage，fromendtoend——shuddered——shookherhead——andwentslowlyondownthestairs。
　　“Whatwereyoulookingfor？“hewhisperedafterher。
　　Sheneitheranswered，norlookedback——shewentherwayintothekitchen。
　　Hewaitedaminute，andthenfollowedher。
　　Onhiswayouttothegarden，hewentintothedining-room。Themoonhadrisen；andthewindow-shutterswerenotclosed。Itwaseasytofindthebrandyandthejugofwateronthetable。Hemixedthetwo，andemptiedthetumbleratadraught。“Myhead’squeer，“hewhisperedtohimself。Hepassedhishandkerchiefoverhisface。“Howinfernallyhotitisto-night!“Hemadeforthedoor。Itwasopen，andplainlyvisible——andyet，hefailedtofindhiswaytoit。Twice，hefoundhimselftryingtowalkthroughthewall，oneitherside。Thethirdtime，hegotout，andreachedthegarden。Astrangesensationpossessedhim，ashewalkedroundandround。Hehadnotdrunkenough，ornearlyenough，tointoxicatehim。Hismind，inadullway，feltthesameasusual；buthisbodywaslikethebodyofadrunkenman。
　　Thenightadvanced；theclockofPutneyChurchstruckten。
　　Anneappearedagainfromthedrawingroom，withherbedroomcandleinherhand。
　　“Putoutthelights，“shesaidtoHester，atthekitchendoor；“I
　　amgoingupstairs。“
　　Sheenteredherroom。Theinsupportablesenseofweariness，afterthesleeplessnightthatshehadpassed，weighedmoreheavilyonherthanever。Shelockedherdoor，butforbore，onthisoccasion，tofastenthebolts。Thedreadofdangerwasnolongerpresenttohermind；andtherewasthispositiveobjectiontolosingthebolts，thattheunfasteningofthemwouldincreasethedifficultyofleavingtheroomnoiselesslylaterinthenight。
　　Sheloosenedherdress，andliftedherhairfromhertemples——andpacedtoandfrointheroomwearily，thinking。Geoffrey’shabitswereirregular；Hesterseldomwenttobedearly。
　　Twohoursatleast——moreprobablythree——mustpass，beforeitwouldbesafetocommunicatewithSirPatrickbymeansofthesignalinthewindow。Herstrengthwasfastfailingher。Ifshepersisted，forthenextthreehours，indenyingherselfthereposewhichshesorelyneeded，thechanceswerethathernervesmightfailher，throughsheerexhaustion，whenthetimecameforfacingtheriskandmakingtheefforttoescape。Sleepwasfallingonherevennow——andsleepshemusthave。Shehadnofearoffailingtowakeattheneedfultime。Fallingasleep，withaspecialnecessityforrisingatagivenhourpresenttohermind，Annelikemostothersensitivelyorganizedpeoplecouldtrustherselftowakeatthatgivenhour，instinctively。Sheputherlightedcandleinasafeposition，andlaiddownonthebed。Inlessthanfiveminutes，shewasinadeepsleep。
　　Thechurchclockstruckthequartertoeleven。HesterDethridgeshowedherselfatthebackgardendoor。Geoffreycrossedthelawn，andjoinedher。Thelightofthelampinthepassagefellonhisface。Shestartedbackfromthesightofit。
　　“What’swrong？“heasked。
　　Sheshookherhead；andpointedthroughthedining-roomdoortothebrandy-bottleonthetable。
　　“I’massoberasyouare，youfool!“hesaid。“Whateverelseitis，it’snotthat。“
　　Hesterlookedathimagain。Hewasright。Howeverunsteadyhisgaitmightbe，hisspeechwasnotthespeech，hiseyeswerenottheeyes，ofadrunkenman。
　　“Issheinherroomforthenight？“
　　Hestermadetheaffirmativesign。
　　Geoffreyascendedthestairs，swayingfromsidetoside。Hestoppedatthetop，andbeckonedtoHestertojoinhim。Hewentonintohisroom；and，signingtohertofollowhim，closedthedoor。
　　Helookedatthepartitionwall——withoutapproachingit。Hesterwaited，behindhim“Issheasleep？“heasked。
　　Hesterwenttothewall；listenedatit；andmadetheaffirmativereply。
　　Hesatdown。“Myhead’squeer，“hesaid。“Givemeadrinkofwater。“Hedrankpartofthewater，andpouredtherestoverhishead。Hesterturnedtowardthedoortoleavehim。Heinstantlystoppedher。“_I_can’tunwindthestrings。_I_can’tliftupthepaper。Doit。“