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。