"Neither strength nor weapons are required," replied the nurse. "Some day
you bar the door against him, and then he may knock in vain. Satan turns
away from closed doors."

"Nurse Juana, that is folly," replied Berta's father; "if he does not come
in by the door he will come in by the window, or down the chimney."

Juana bit her lips reflectively, for what she had never been able to
explain satisfactorily to herself was how he had succeeded in entering the
house for the first time, for the door was always kept closed; it was
necessary to knock to have it opened; and it was never opened unless under
the inspection of the housekeeper; she always wanted to know who came in
and who went out, and in this she was very particular. How then had he
been able to come in without being seen or heard?

Her first inquiries on this mysterious point were addressed to Berta--and
Berta answered simply that he had entered without knocking because the
door was open. This the nurse found impossible to believe.

She remained thoughtful, then, for this demon of a man, it seemed, could
in truth enter the house even if the door were barred.

The conspirators did not get beyond these two courses of action: to fly or
to defend themselves. To fly was impossible, and to defend themselves was
impracticable. Berta's father and the housekeeper discussed these two
points daily without seeing light on any side. And must they resign
themselves to living under the diabolical yoke of that man? Both found
themselves in a situation that would be difficult to describe. They lived
in constant trepidation, fearing they knew not what.