she scrambles out of bed, and hastily blows out
the candle on the chest of drawers. Then, putting
her fingers in her ears, she runs to the
dressing-table and blows out the light there, and
hurries back to bed. The room is now in darkness:
nothing is visible but the glimmer of the light in
the pierced ball before the image, and the
starlight seen through the slits at the top of the
shutters. The firing breaks out again: there is a
startling fusillade quite close at hand. Whilst it
is still echoing, the shutters disappear, pulled
open from without, and for an instant the
rectangle of snowy starlight flashes out with the
figure of a man in black upon it. The shutters
close immediately and the room is dark again. But
the silence is now broken by the sound of panting.
Then there is a scrape; and the flame of a match
is seen in the middle of the room.)

RAINA (crouching on the bed). Who's there? (The match is out
instantly.) Who's there? Who is that?

A MAN'S VOICE (in the darkness, subduedly, but threateningly).
Sh--sh! Don't call out or you'll be shot. Be good; and no harm
will happen to you. (She is heard leaving her bed, and making
for the door.) Take care, there's no use in trying to run away.
Remember, if you raise your voice my pistol will go off.
(Commandingly.) Strike a light and let me see you. Do you hear?
(Another moment of silence and darkness. Then she is heard
retreating to the dressing-table. She lights a candle, and the