So deep had
been her sleep, that it was some time before she could rouse herself
to a recollection of her situation. When, however, she had done so,
she raised herself in bed, and listened; all was silent, save that
the night, having become rather gusty, the wind at intervals swept
moaningly round the deserted mansion. The fire was almost out, but
the candle in the lantern which stood by her bedside shed a feeble
light upon the oaken floor; and the moon, though occasionally
overcast, was still high in the heavens. Readily concluding the
disturbance to have been wholly imaginary, the result of the
impression made by her waking thoughts upon her sleeping fancies,
Anna composed herself again to sleep; but scarcely had she lain down,
when the same sounds, low at first, but gradually becoming louder and
more distinct, broke in upon the silence. The noise appeared to her
to proceed from a distant part of the house, and came with a kind of
muffled sound, as though doors of some thickness intervened.
Pages:
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313