"I know," he interrupted; and without another word walked away, and
for a long time stood silent at the other end of the room. Then he
came back and sat down, and when I summoned up courage to glance at
his face, I saw that a change had passed over it, that in all
probability was a change for life.

And my heart sank--sank till I almost envied that unconscious form
before which we sat, and from which alone now came the one sound
which disturbed the ghostly silence of that dread chamber.




V.

DOUBTS AND QUERIES.


And that well might
Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance
His wisdom can provide.
--MACBETH.

At daybreak the doctor came in. Taking advantage of the occasion, I
slipped away for a few minutes to my own room, anxious for any
change that would relieve me from the gloom and oppression caused by
this prolonged and silent _tete-a-tete_ with a being that at
once so interested and repelled me. Observing that my windows looked
towards the east, I hastened to throw wide the blinds and lean out