seating　myself　at　a　window；　consumed　the　day　in　alternately　looking
  out　upon　the　storm　and　gazing　at　the　picture　which　lay　upon　a　table
  before　me。　　You　will　perhaps　deem　this　conduct　somewhat　singular；
  and　ascribe　it　to　certain　peculiarities　of　temper。　　I　am　not　aware
  of　any　such　peculiarities。　　I　can　account　for　my　devotion　to　this
  image　no　otherwise　than　by　supposing　that　its　properties　were　rare
  and　prodigious。　　Perhaps　you　will　suspect　that　such　were　the　first
  inroads　of　a　passion　incident　to　every　female　heart；　and　which
  frequently　gains　a　footing　by　means　even　more　slight　and　more
  improbable　than　these。　　I　shall　not　controvert　the　reasonableness
  of　the　suspicion；　but　leave　you　at　liberty　to　draw　from　my
  narrative　what　conclusions　you　please。
  Night　at　length　returned；　and　the　storm　ceased。　　The　air　was　once
  more　clear　and　calm；　and　bore　an　affecting　contrast　to　that　uproar
  of　the　elements　by　which　it　had　been　preceded。　　I　spent　the
  darksome　hours；　as　I　spent　the　day；　contemplative　and　seated　at　the
  window。　　Why　was　my　mind　absorbed　in　thoughts　ominous　and　dreary？
  Why　did　my　bosom　heave　with　sighs　and　my　eyes　overflow　with　tears？
  Was　the　tempest　that　had　just　passed　a　signal　of　the　ruin　which
  impended　over　me？　　My　soul　fondly　dwelt　upon　the　images　of　my
  brother　and　his　children；　yet　they　only　increased　the　mournfulness
  of　my　contemplations。　　The　smiles　of　the　charming　babes　were　as
  bland　as　formerly。　　The　same　dignity　sat　on　the　brow　of　their
  father；　and　yet　I　thought　of　them　with　anguish。　　Something
  whispered　that　the　happiness　we　at　present　enjoyed　was　set　on
  mutable　foundations。　　Death　must　happen　to　all。　　Whether　our
  felicity　was　to　be　subverted　by　it　to…morrow；　or　whether　it　was
  ordained　that　we　should　lay　down　our　heads　full　of　years　and　of
  honor；　was　a　question　that　no　human　being　could　solve。　　At　other
  times　these　ideas　seldom　intruded。　　I　either　forbore　to　reflect
  upon　the　destiny　that　is　reserved　for　all　men；　or　the　reflection
  was　mixed　up　with　images　that　disrobed　it　of　terror；　but　now　the
  uncertainty　of　life　occurred　to　me　without　any　of　its　usual　and
  alleviating　accompaniments。　　I　said　to　myself；　We　must　die。　　Sooner
  or　later；　we　must　disappear　forever　from　the　face　of　the　earth。
  Whatever　be　the　links　that　hold　us　to　life；　they　must　be　broken。
  This　scene　of　existence　is；　in　all　its　parts；　calamitous。　　The
  greater　number　is　oppressed　with　immediate　evils；　and　those　the
  tide　of　whose　fortunes　is　full；　how　small　is　their　portion　of
  enjoyment；　since　they　know　that　it　will　terminate！
  For　some　time　I　indulged　myself；　without　reluctance；　in　these
  gloomy　thoughts；　but　at　length　the　delection　which　they　produced
  became　insupportably　painful。　　I　endeavored　to　dissipate　it　with
  music。　　I　had　all　my　grandfather's　melody　as　well　as　poetry　by
  rote。　　I　now　lighted　by　chance　on　a　ballad　which　commemorated　the
  fate　of　a　German　cavalier　who　fell　at　the　siege　of　Nice　under
  Godfrey　of　Bouillon。　　My　choice　was　unfortunate；　for　the　scenes　of
  violence　and　carnage　which　were　here　wildly　but　forcibly　portrayed
  only　suggested　to　my　thoughts　a　new　topic　in　the　horrors　of　war。
  I　sought　refuge；　but　ineffectually；　in　sleep。　　My　mind　was　thronged
  by　vivid　but　confused　images；　and　no　effort　that　I　made　was
  sufficient　to　drive　them　away。　　In　this　situation　I　heard　the
  clock；　which　hung　in　the　room；　give　the　signal　for　twelve。　　It　was
  the　same　instrument　which　formerly　hung　in　my　father's　chamber；　and
  which；　on　account　of　its　being　his　workmanship；　was　regarded　by
  everyone　of　our　family　with　veneration。　　It　had　fallen　to　me　in　the
  division　of　his　property；　and　was　placed　in　this　asylum。　　The　sound
  awakened　a　series　of　reflections　respecting　his　death。　　I　was　not
  allowed　to　pursue　them；　for　scarcely　had　the　vibrations　ceased；
  when　my　attention　was　attracted　by　a　whisper；　which；　at　first；
  appeared　to　proceed　from　lips　that　were　laid　close　to　my　ear。
  No　wonder　that　a　circumstance　like　this　startled　me。　　In　the　first
  impulse　of　my　terror；　I　uttered　a　slight　scream　and　shrunk　to　the
  opposite　side　of　the　bed。　　In　a　moment；　however；　I　recovered　from
  my　trepidation。　　I　was　habitually　indifferent　to　all　the　causes　of
  fear　by　which　the　majority　are　afflicted。　　I　entertained　no
  apprehension　of　either　ghosts　or　robbers。　　Our　security　had　never
  been　molested　by　either；　and　I　made　use　of　no　means　to　prevent　or
  counterwork　their　machinations。　　My　tranquillity　on　this　occasion
  was　quickly　retrieved。　　The　whisper　evidently　proceeded　from　one
  who　was　posted　at　my　bedside。　　The　first　idea　that　suggested　itself
  was　that　it　was　uttered　by　the　girl　who　lived　with　me　as　a　servant。
  Perhaps　somewhat　had　alarmed　her；　or　she　was　sick；　and　had　come　to
  request　my　assistance。　　By　whispering　in　my　ear　she　intended　to
  rouse　without　alarming　me。
  Full　of　this　persuasion；　I　called；　〃Judith；　is　it　you？　　What　do　you
  want？　　Is　there　anything　the　matter　with　you？〃　　No　answer　was
  returned。　　I　repeated　my　inquiry；　but　equally　in　vain。　　Cloudy　as
  was　the　atmosphere；　and　curtained　as　my　bed　was；　nothing　was
  visible。　　I　withdrew　the　curtain；　and；　leaning　my　head　on　my　elbow；
  I　listened　with　the　deepest　attention　to　catch　some　new　sound。
  Meanwhile；　I　ran　over　in　my　thoughts　every　circumstance　that　could
  assist　my　conjectures。
  My　habitation　was　a　wooden　edifice；　consisting　of　two　stories。　　In
  each　story　were　two　rooms；　separated　by　an　entry；　or　middle
  passage；　with　which　they　communicated　by　opposite　doors。　　The
  passage　on　the　lower　story　had　doors　at　the　two　ends；　and　a
  staircase。　　Windows　answered　to　the　doors　on　the　upper　story。
  Annexed　to　this；　on　the　eastern　side；　were　wings；　divided　in　like
  manner　into　an　upper　and　lower　room；　one　of　them　comprised　a
  kitchen；　and　chamber　above　it　for　the　servant；　and　communicated　on
  both　stories　with　the　parlor　adjoining　it　below　and　the　chamber
  adjoining　it　above。　　The　opposite　wing　is　of　smaller　dimensions；
  the　rooms　not　being　above　eight　feet　square。　　The　lower　of　these
  was　used　as　a　depository　of　household　implements；　the　upper　was　a
  closet　in　which　I　deposited　my　books　and　papers。　　They　had　but　one
  inlet；　which　was　from　the　room　adjoining。　　There　was　no　window　in
  the　lower　one；　and　in　the　upper　a　small　aperture　which　communicated
  light　and　air；　but　would　scarcely　admit　the　body。　　The　door　which
  led　into　this　was　close　to　my　bed　head；　and　was　always　locked　but
  when　I　myself　was　within。　　The　avenues　below　were　accustomed　to　be
  closed　and　bolted　at　nights。
  The　maid　was　my　only　companion；　and　she　could　not　reach　my　chamber
  without　previously　passing　through　the　opposite　chamber　and　the
  middle　passage；　of　which；　however；　the　doors　were　usually
  unfastened。　　If　she　had　occasioned　this　noise；　she　would　have
  answered　my　repeated　calls。　　No　other　conclusion；　therefore；　was
  left　me；　but　that　I　had　mistaken　the　sounds；　and　that　my
  imagination　had　transformed　some　casual　noise　into　the　voice　of　a
  human　creature。　　Satisfied　with　this　solution；　I　was　preparing　to
  relinquish　my　listening　attitude；　when　my　ear　was　again　saluted
  with　a　new　and　yet　louder　whispering。　　It　appeared；　as　before；　to
  issue　from　lips　that　touched　my　pillow。　　A　second　effort　of
  attention；　however；　clearly　showed　me　that　the　sounds　issued　from
  within　the　closet；　the　door　of　which　was　not　more　than　eight　inches
  from　my　pillow。
  This　second　interruption　occasioned　a　shock　less　vehement　than　the
  former。　　I　started；　but　gave　no　audible　token　of　alarm。　　I　was　so
  much　mistress　of　my　feelings　as　to　continue　listening　to　what
  should　be　said。　　The　whisper　was　distinct；　hoarse；　and　uttered　so
  as　to　show　that　the　speaker　was　desirous　of　being　heard　by　some　one
  near；　but；　at　the　same　time；　studious　to　avoid　being　overheard　by
  any　other：
  〃Stop！　stop；　I　say；　madman　as　you　are！　there　are　better　means　than
  that。　　Curse　upon　your　rashness！　　There　is　no　need　to　shoot。〃
  Such　were　the　words　uttered；　in　a　tone　of　eagerness　and　anger；
  within　so　small　a　distance　of　my　pillow。　　What　construction　could　I
  put　upon　them？　　My　heart　began　to　palpitate　with　dread　of　some
  unknown　danger。　　Presently；　another　voice；　but　equally　near　me；　was
  heard　whispering　in　answer；　〃Why　not？　　I　will　draw　a　trigger　in
  this　business；　but　perdition　be　my　lot　if　I　do　more！〃　　To　this　the
  first　voice　returned；　in　a　tone　which　rage　had　heightened　in　a
  small　degree　above　a　whisper；　〃Coward！　stand　aside；　and　see　me　do
  it。　　I　will　grasp　her　throat；　I　will　do　her　business　in　an　instant；
  she　shall　not　have　time　so　much　as　to　groan。〃　　What　wonder　that　I
  was　petrified　by　sounds　so　dreadful！　　Murderers　lurked　in　my
  closet。　　They　were　planning　the　means　of　my　destruction。　　One
  resolved　to　shoot；　and　the　other　menaced　suffocation。　　Their　means
  being　chosen；　they　would　forthwith　break　the　door。　　Flight
  instantly　suggested　itself　as　most　eligible　in　circumstances　so
  perilous。　　I　deliberated　not　a　moment；　but；　fea