anew；　and　the　terrors　which　succeeded　almost　incapacitated　me　from
  taking　any　measures　for　my　defense。　　It　was　an　impulse　of　which　I
  was　scarcely　conscious　that　made　me　fasten　the　lock　and　draw　the
  bolts　of　my　chamber　door。　　Having　done　this；　I　threw　myself　on　a
  seat；　for　I　trembled　to　a　degree　which　disabled　me　from　standing；
  and　my　soul　was　so　perfectly　absorbed　in　the　act　of　listening；　that
  almost　the　vital　motions　were　stopped。
  The　door　below　creaked　on　its　hinges。　　It　was　not　again　thrust　to；
  but　appeared　to　remain　open。　　Footsteps　entered；　traversed　the
  entry；　and　began　to　mount　the　stairs。　　How　I　detested　the　folly　of
  not　pursuing　the　man　when　he　withdrew；　and　bolting　after　him　the
  outer　door！　　Might　he　not　conceive　this　omission　to　be　a　proof　that
  my　angel　had　deserted　me；　and　be　thereby　fortified　in　guilt？
  Every　step　on　the　stairs　which　brought　him　nearer　to　my　chamber
  added　vigor　to　my　desperation。　　The　evil　with　which　I　was　menaced
  was　to　be　at　any　rate　eluded。　　How　little　did　I　preconceive　the
  conduct　which；　in　an　exigence　like　this；　I　should　be　prone　to
  adopt！　　You　will　suppose　that　deliberation　and　despair　would　have
  suggested　the　same　course　of　action；　and　that　I　should　have
  unhesitatingly　resorted　to　the　best　means　of　personal　defense
  within　my　power。　　A　penknife　lay　open　upon　my　table。　　I　remembered
  that　it　was　there；　and　seized　it。　　For　what　purpose　you　will
  scarcely　inquire。　　It　will　be　immediately　supposed　that　I　meant　it
  for　my　last　refuge；　and　that；　if　all　other　means　should　fail；　I
  should　plunge　it　into　the　heart　of　my　ravisher。
  I　have　lost　all　faith　in　the　steadfastness　of　human　resolves。　　It
  was　thus　that　in　periods　of　calm　I　had　determined　to　act。　　No
  cowardice　had　been　held　by　me　in　greater　abhorrence　than　that　which
  prompted　an　injured　female　to　destroy；　not　her　injurer　ere　the
  injury　was　perpetrated；　but　herself　when　it　was　without　remedy。
  Yet　now　this　penknife　appeared　to　me　of　no　other　use　than　to　baffle
  my　assailant　and　prevent　the　crime　by　destroying　myself。　　To
  deliberate　at　such　a　time　was　impossible；　but；　among　the　tumultuous
  suggestions　of　the　moment；　I　do　not　recollect　that　it　once　occurred
  to　me　to　use　it　as　an　instrument　of　direct　defense。
  The　steps　had　now　reached　the　second　floor。　　Every　footfall
  accelerated　the　completion　without　augmenting　the　certainty　of
  evil。　　The　consciousness　that　the　door　was　fast；　now　that　nothing
  but　that　was　interposed　between　me　and　danger；　was　a　source　of　some
  consolation。　　I　cast　my　eye　toward　the　window。　　This；　likewise；　was
  a　new　suggestion。　　If　the　door　should　give　way；　it　was　my　sudden
  resolution　to　throw　myself　from　the　window。　　Its　height　from　the
  ground；　which　was　covered　beneath　by　a　brick　pavement；　would　insure
  my　destruction；　but　I　thought　not　of　that。
  When　opposite　to　my　door　the　footsteps　ceased。　　Was　he　listening
  whether　my　fears　were　allayed　and　my　caution　were　asleep？　　Did　he
  hope　to　take　me　by　surprise？　　Yet；　if　so；　why　did　he　allow　so　many
  noisy　signals　to　betray　his　approach？　　Presently　the　steps　were
  again　heard　to　approach　the　door。　　A　hand　was　laid　upon　the　lock；
  and　the　latch　pulled　back。　　Did　he　imagine　it　possible　that　I
  should　fail　to　secure　the　door？　　A　slight　effort　was　made　to　push
  it　open；　as　if；　all　bolts　being　withdrawn；　a　slight　effort　only　was
  required。
  I　no　sooner　perceived　this　than　I　moved　swiftly　toward　the　window。
  Carwin's　frame　might　be　said　to　be　all　muscle。　　His　strength　and
  activity　had　appeared；　in　various　instances；　to　be　prodigious。　　A
  slight　exertion　of　his　force　would　demolish　the　door。　　Would　not
  that　exertion　be　made？　　Too　surely　it　would；　but；　at　the　same
  moment　that　this　obstacle　should　yield　and　he　should　enter　the
  apartment；　my　determination　was　formed　to　leap　from　the　window。　　My
  senses　were　still　bound　to　this　object。　　I　gazed　at　the　door　in
  momentary　expectation　that　the　assault　would　be　made。　　The　pause
  continued。　　The　person　without　was　irresolute　and　motionless。
  Suddenly　it　occurred　to　me　that　Carwin　might　conceive　me　to　have
  fled。　　That　I　had　not　betaken　myself　to　flight　was；　indeed；　the
  least　probable　of　all　conclusions。　　In　this　persuasion　he　must　have
  been　confirmed　on　finding　the　lower　door　unfastened　and　the　chamber
  door　locked。　　Was　it　not　wise　to　foster　this　persuasion？　　Should　I
  maintain　deep　silence；　this；　in　addition　to　other　circumstances；
  might　encourage　the　belief；　and　he　would　once　more　depart。　　Every
  new　reflection　added　plausibility　to　this　reasoning。　　It　was
  presently　more　strongly　enforced　when　I　noticed　footsteps
  withdrawing　from　the　door。　　The　blood　once　more　flowed　back　to　my
  heart；　and　a　dawn　of　exultation　began　to　rise；　but　my　joy　was
  short…lived。　　Instead　of　descending　the　stairs；　he　passed　to　the
  door　of　the　opposite　chamber；　opened　it；　and；　having　entered；　shut
  it　after　him　with　a　violence　that　shook　the　house。
  How　was　I　to　interpret　this　circumstance？　　For　what　end　could　he
  have　entered　this　chamber？　　Did　the　violence　with　which　he　closed
  the　door　testify　the　depth　of　his　vexation？　　This　room　was　usually
  occupied　by　Pleyel。　　Was　Carwin　aware　of　his　absence　on　this　night？
  Could　he　be　suspected　of　a　design　so　sordid　as　pillage？　　If　this
  were　his　view；　there　were　no　means　in　my　power　to　frustrate　it。　　It
  behooved　me　to　seize　the　first　opportunity　to　escape；　but；　if　my
  escape　were　supposed　by　my　enemy　to　have　been　already　effected；　no
  asylum　was　more　secure　than　the　present。　　How　could　my　passage　from
  the　house　be　accomplished　without　noises　that　might　incite　him　to
  pursue　me？
  Utterly　at　a　loss　to　account　for　his　going　into　Pleyel's　chamber；　I
  waited　in　instant　expectation　of　hearing　him　come　forth。　　All；
  however；　was　profoundly　still。　　I　listened　in　vain　for　a
  considerable　period　to　catch　the　sound　of　the　door　when　it　should
  again　be　opened。　　There　was　no　other　avenue　by　which　he　could
  escape；　but　a　door　which　led　into　the　girl's　chamber。　　Would　any
  evil　from　this　quarter　befall　the　girl？
  Hence　arose　a　new　train　of　apprehensions。　　They　merely　added　to　the
  turbulence　and　agony　of　my　reflections。　　Whatever　evil　impended
  over　her；　I　had　no　power　to　avert　it。　　Seclusion　and　silence　were
  the　only　means　of　saving　myself　from　the　perils　of　this　fatal
  night。　　What　solemn　vows　did　I　put　up；　that；　if　I　should　once　more
  behold　the　light　of　day；　I　would　never　trust　myself　again　within
  the　threshold　of　this　dwelling！
  Minute　lingered　after　minute；　but　no　token　was　given　that　Carwin
  had　returned　to　the　passage。　　What；　I　again　asked；　could　detain　him
  in　this　room？　　Was　it　possible　that　he　had　returned；　and　glided
  unperceived　away？　　I　was　speedily　aware　of　the　difficulty　that
  attended　an　enterprise　like　this；　and　yet；　as　if　by　that　means　I
  were　capable　of　gaining　any　information　on　that　head；　I　cast
  anxious　looks　from　the　window。
  The　object　that　first　attracted　my　attention　was　a　human　figure
  standing　on　the　edge　of　the　bank。　　Perhaps　my　penetration　was
  assisted　by　my　hopes。　　Be　that　as　it　will；　the　figure　of　Carwin　was
  clearly　distinguishable。　　From　the　obscurity　of　my　station；　it　was
  impossible　that　I　should　be　discerned　by　him；　and　yet　he　scarcely
  suffered　me　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　him。　　He　turned　and　went　down　the
  steep；　which　in　this　part　was　not　difficult　to　be　scaled。
  My　conjecture；　then；　had　been　right。　　Carwin　has　softly　opened　the
  door；　descended　the　stairs；　and　issued　forth。　　That　I　should　not
  have　overheard　his　steps　was　only　less　incredible　than　that　my　eyes
  had　deceived　me。　　But　what　was　now　to　be　done？　　The　house　was　at
  length　delivered　from　this　detested　inmate。　　By　one　avenue　might　he
  again　reenter。　　Was　it　not　wise　to　bar　the　lower　door？　　Perhaps　he
  had　gone　out　by　the　kitchen　door。　　For　this　end；　he　must　have
  passed　through　Judith's　chamber。　　These　entrances　being　closed　and
  bolted；　as　great　security　was　gained　as　was　compatible　with　my
  lonely　condition。
  The　propriety　of　these　measures　was　too　manifest　not　to　make　me
  struggle　successfully　with　my　fears。　　Yet　I　opened　my　own　door　with
  the　utmost　caution；　and　descended　as　if　I　were　afraid　that　Carwin
  had　been　still　immured　in　Pleyel's　chamber。　　The　outer　door　was
  ajar。　　I　shut　it　with　trembling　eagerness；　and　drew　every　bolt　that
  appended　to　it。　　I　then　passed　with　light　and　less　cautious　steps
  through　the　parlor；　but　was　surprised　to　discover　that　the　kitchen
  door　was　secure。　　I　was　compelled　to　acquiesce　in　the　first
  conjecture　that　Carwin　had　escaped　through　the　entry。
  My　heart　was　now　somewhat　eased　of　the　load　of　apprehension。　　I
  returned　once　more　to　my　chamber；　the　door　of　which　I　was　careful
  to　lock。　　It　was　no　time　to　think　of　repose。　　The　moonlight　began
  already　to　fade　before　the　light　of　the　day。　　The　approach　of
  morning　was　betokened　by　the　usual　signals。　　I　mused　upon　the
  events　of　this　night；　and　determined　to　take　up　my　abode　henceforth
  at　my