which　he　hastily　concealed　behind　his　back；
  and　coming　towards　me；　said　something　as
  if　in　an　explanatory　tone；　but　I　was　too
  much　shocked　and　confounded　to　understand
  what　it　might　be。　He　said　something
  about　'REPAIRSwindowframes
  cold；　and　safety。'
  I　did　not　wait；　however；　to　ask　or　to
  receive　explanations；　but　hastily　left　the
  room。　As　I　went　down　the　stairs　I
  thought　I　heard　the　voice　of　the　Frenchwoman
  in　all　the　shrill　volubility　of　excuse；
  which　was　met；　however；　by　suppressed
  but　vehement　imprecations；　or　what
  seemed　to　me　to　be　such；　in　which　the
  voice　of　my　cousin　Edward　distinctly
  mingled。
  I　joined　my　cousin　Emily　quite　out　of
  breath。　I　need　not　say　that　my　head　was
  too　full　of　other　things　to　think　much　of
  drawing　for　that　day。　I　imparted　to　her
  frankly　the　cause　of　my　alarms；　but　at　the
  same　time　as　gently　as　I　could；　and　with
  tears　she　promised　vigilance；　and　devotion；
  and　love。　I　never　had　reason　for　a
  moment　to　repent　the　unreserved　confidence
  which　I　then　reposed　in　her。　She　was　no
  less　surprised　than　I　at　the　unexpected
  appearance　of　Edward；　whose　departure
  for　France　neither　of　us　had　for　a　moment
  doubted；　but　which　was　now　proved　by　his
  actual　presence　to　be　nothing　more　than
  an　imposture；　practised；　I　feared；　for　no
  good　end。
  The　situation　in　which　I　had　found　my
  uncle　had　removed　completely　all　my
  doubts　as　to　his　designs。　I　magnified
  suspicions　into　certainties；　and　dreaded　night
  after　night　that　I　should　be　murdered　in
  my　bed。　The　nervousness　produced　by
  sleepless　nights　and　days　of　anxious　fears
  increased　the　horrors　of　my　situation　to
  such　a　degree；　that　I　at　length　wrote　a
  letter　to　a　Mr。　Jefferies；　an　old　and　faithful
  friend　of　my　father's；　and　perfectly
  acquainted　with　all　his　affairs；　praying　him；
  for　God's　sake；　to　relieve　me　from　my
  present　terrible　situation；　and　communicating
  without　reserve　the　nature　and
  grounds　of　my　suspicions。
  This　letter　I　kept　sealed　and　directed
  for　two　or　three　days　always　about　my
  person；　for　discovery　would　have　been
  ruinous；　in　expectation　of　an　opportunity
  which　might　be　safely　trusted；　whereby　to
  have　it　placed　in　the　post…office。　As　neither
  Emily　nor　I　were　permitted　to　pass　beyond
  the　precincts　of　the　demesne　itself；
  which　was　surrounded　by　high　walls
  formed　of　dry　stone；　the　difficulty　of
  procuring　such　an　opportunity　was　greatly
  enhanced。
  At　this　time　Emily　had　a　short　conver…
  sation　with　her　father；　which　she　reported
  to　me　instantly。
  After　some　indifferent　matter；　he　had
  asked　her　whether　she　and　I　were　upon
  good　terms；　and　whether　I　was　unreserved
  in　my　disposition。　She　answered　in　the
  affirmative；　and　he　then　inquired　whether
  I　had　been　much　surprised　to　find　him　in
  my　chamber　on　the　other　day。　She
  answered　that　I　had　been　both　surprised　and
  amused。
  'And　what　did　she　think　of　George
  Wilson's　appearance？'
  'Who？'　inquired　she。
  'Oh；　the　architect；'　he　answered；　'who
  is　to　contract　for　the　repairs　of　the　house；
  he　is　accounted　a　handsome　fellow。'
  'She　could　not　see　his　face；'　said　Emily；
  'and　she　was　in　such　a　hurry　to　escape
  that　she　scarcely　noticed　him。'
  Sir　Arthur　appeared　satisfied；　and　the
  conversation　ended。
  This　slight　conversation；　repeated
  accurately　to　me　by　Emily；　had　the　effect　of
  confirming；　if　indeed　anything　was　required
  to　do　so；　all　that　I　had　before　believed　as
  to　Edward's　actual　presence；　and　I　naturally
  became；　if　possible；　more　anxious
  than　ever　to　despatch　the　letter　to　Mr。
  Jefferies。　An　opportunity　at　length　occurred。
  As　Emily　and　I　were　walking　one　day
  near　the　gate　of　the　demesne；　a　lad　from
  the　village　happened　to　be　passing　down
  the　avenue　from　the　house；　the　spot　was
  secluded；　and　as　this　person　was　not
  connected　by　service　with　those　whose
  observation　I　dreaded；　I　committed　the　letter
  to　his　keeping；　with　strict　injunctions　that
  he　should　put　it　without　delay　into　the
  receiver　of　the　town　post…office；　at　the
  same　time　I　added　a　suitable　gratuity；　and
  the　man　having　made　many　protestations
  of　punctuality；　was　soon　out　of　sight。
  He　was　hardly　gone　when　I　began　to
  doubt　my　discretion　in　having　trusted　this
  person；　but　I　had　no　better　or　safer　means
  of　despatching　the　letter；　and　I　was　not
  warranted　in　suspecting　him　of　such
  wanton　dishonesty　as　an　inclination　to
  tamper　with　it；　but　I　could　not　be　quite
  satisfied　of　its　safety　until　I　had　received
  an　answer；　which　could　not　arrive　for　a
  few　days。　Before　I　did；　however；　an　event
  occurred　which　a　little　surprised　me。
  I　was　sitting　in　my　bedroom　early　in　the
  day；　reading　by　myself；　when　I　heard　a
  knock　at　the　door。
  'Come　in；'　said　I；　and　my　uncle　entered
  the　room。
  'Will　you　excuse　me？'　said　he。　'I
  sought　you　in　the　parlour；　and　thence　I
  have　come　here。　I　desired　to　say　a　word
  with　you。　I　trust　that　you　have　hitherto
  found　my　conduct　to　you　such　as　that　of　a
  guardian　towards　his　ward　should　be。'
  I　dared　not　withhold　my　consent。
  'And；'　he　continued；　'I　trust　that　you
  have　not　found　me　harsh　or　unjust；　and
  that　you　have　perceived；　my　dear　niece；
  that　I　have　sought　to　make　this　poor　place
  as　agreeable　to　you　as　may　be。'
  I　assented　again；　and　he　put　his　hand
  in　his　pocket；　whence　he　drew　a　folded
  paper；　and　dashing　it　upon　the　table　with
  startling　emphasis；　he　said：
  'Did　you　write　that　letter？'
  The　sudden　and　tearful　alteration　of　his
  voice；　manner；　and　face；　but；　more　than　all；
  the　unexpected　production　of　my　letter　to
  Mr。　Jefferies；　which　I　at　once　recognised；
  so　confounded　and　terrified　me；　that　I　felt
  almost　choking。
  I　could　not　utter　a　word。
  'Did　you　write　that　letter？'　he　repeated
  with　slow　and　intense　emphasis。'　You
  did；　liar　and　hypocrite！　You　dared　to
  write　this　foul　and　infamous　libel；　but　it
  shall　be　your　last。　Men　will　universally
  believe　you　mad；　if　I　choose　to　call　for　an
  inquiry。　I　can　make　you　appear　so。　The
  suspicions　expressed　in　this　letter　are　the
  hallucinations　and　alarms　of　moping　lunacy。
  I　have　defeated　your　first　attempt；　madam；
  and　by　the　holy　God；　if　ever　you　make
  another；　chains；　straw；　darkness；　and　the
  keeper's　whip　shall　be　your　lasting　portion！'
  With　these　astounding　words　he　left　the
  room；　leaving　me　almost　fainting。
  I　was　now　almost　reduced　to　despair；
  my　last　cast　had　failed；　I　had　no　course
  left　but　that　of　eloping　secretly　from　the
  castle；　and　placing　myself　under　the
  protection　of　the　nearest　magistrate。　I　felt
  if　this　were　not　done；　and　speedily；　that　I
  should　be　MURDERED。
  No　one；　from　mere　description；　can　have
  an　idea　of　the　unmitigated　horror　of　my
  situationa　helpless；　weak；　inexperienced
  girl；　placed　under　the　power　and　wholly
  at　the　mercy　of　evil　men；　and　feeling　that
  she　had　it　not　in　her　power　to　escape　for
  a　moment　from　the　malignant　influences
  under　which　she　was　probably　fated　to　fall；
  and　with　a　consciousness　that　if　violence；
  if　murder　were　designed；　her　dying　shriek
  would　be　lost　in　void　space；　no　human
  being　would　be　near　to　aid　her；　no　human
  interposition　could　deliver　her。
  I　had　seen　Edward　but　once　during　his
  visit；　and　as　I　did　not　meet　with　him
  again；　I　began　to　think　that　he　must　have
  taken　his　departurea　conviction　which
  was　to　a　certain　degree　satisfactory；　as　I
  regarded　his　absence　as　indicating　the
  removal　of　immediate　danger。
  Emily　also　arrived　circuitously　at　the
  same　conclusion；　and　not　without　good
  grounds；　for　she　managed　indirectly　to
  learn　that　Edward's　black　horse　had　actually
  been　for　a　day　and　part　of　a　night　in
  the　castle　stables；　just　at　the　time　of　her
  brother's　supposed　visit。　The　horse　had
  gone；　and；　as　she　argued；　the　rider　must
  have　departed　with　it。
  This　point　being　so　far　settled；　I　felt　a
  little　less　uncomfortable：　when　being　one
  day　alone　in　my　bedroom；　I　happened　to
  look　out　from　the　window；　and；　to　my　un…
  utterable　horror；　I　beheld；　peering　through
  an　opposite　casement；　my　cousin　Edward's
  face。　Had　I　seen　the　evil　one　himself　in
  bodily　shape；　I　could　not　have　experienced
  a　more　sickening　revulsion。
  I　was　too　much　appalled　to　move　at
  once　from　the　window；　but　I　did　so　soon
  enough　to　avoid　his　eye。　He　was　looking
  fixedly　into　the　narrow　quadrangle　upon
  which　the　window　opened。　I　shrank　back
  unperceived；　to　pass　the　rest　of　the　day
  in　terror　and　despair。　I　went　to　my　room
  early　that　night；　but　I　was　too　miserable
  to　sleep。
  At　about　twelve　o'clock；　feeling　very
  nervous；　I　determined　to　call　my　cousin
  Emily；　who　slept；　you　will　remember；　in
  the　next　room；　which　communicated　with
  mine　by　a　second　door。　By　this　private
  entrance　I　found　my　way　into　her　chamber；
  and　without　difficulty　persuaded　her　to
  return　to　my　room　and　sleep　with　me。
  We　accor