went down to have a look at the lower windows.

Now that I had seen an instance of the strength the creatures
possessed, I felt considerable anxiety about the windows on the ground
floor--in spite of the fact that they were so strongly barred.

I went first to the buttery, having a vivid remembrance of my late
adventure there. The place was chilly, and the wind, soughing in through
the broken glass, produced an eerie note. Apart from the general air of
dismalness, the place was as I had left it the night before. Going up to
the window, I examined the bars, closely; noting, as I did so, their
comfortable thickness. Still, as I looked more intently, it seemed to
me, that the middle bar was bent slightly from the straight; yet it was
but trifling, and it might have been so for years. I had never, before,
noticed them particularly.

I put my hand through the broken window, and shook the bar. It was as
firm as a rock. Perhaps the creatures had tried to 'start' it, and,
finding it beyond their power, ceased from the effort. After that, I
went 'round to each of the windows, in turn; examining them with careful
attention; but nowhere else could I trace anything to show that there
had been any tampering. Having finished my survey, I went back to the
study, and poured myself out a little brandy. Then to the tower
to watch.



_VIII_

AFTER THE ATTACK