Now, I am sure, I heard a soft whispering outside my door. I knew
that I was in a state of siege! The crisis was come, and strange to say,
I felt myself grow all at once resolute and self-possessed. It was not a
subsidence, however, of the dreadful excitement, but a sudden screwing-up
of my nerves to a pitch such as I cannot describe.
I suppose the people outside moved with great caution; and the perfect
solidity of the floor, which had not anywhere a creaking board in it,
favoured their noiseless movements. It was well for me that there were
in the house three persons whom it was part of their plan to mystify
respecting my fate. This alone compelled the extreme caution of their
proceedings. They suspected that I had placed furniture against the door,
and were afraid to force it, lest a crash, a scream, perhaps a long and
shrilly struggle, might follow.
I remained for a space which I cannot pretend to estimate in the same
posture, afraid to stir--afraid to move my eye from the door.
A very peculiar grating sound above my head startled me from my
watch--something of the character of sawing, only more crunching, and with
a faint continued rumble in it--utterly inexplicable.
Pages:
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752