I　never　saw　so　much　expression　in　an　inanimate　thing　before；
  and　we　all　know　how　much　expression　they　have！　　I　used　to　lie
  awake　as　a　child　and　get　more　entertainment　and　terror　out　of
  blank　walls　and　plain　furniture　than　most　children　could　find　in
  a　toy　store。
  I　remember　what　a　kindly　wink　the　knobs　of　our　big；　old
  bureau　used　to　have；　and　there　was　one　chair　that　always　seemed
  like　a　strong　friend。
  I　used　to　feel　that　if　any　of　the　other　things　looked　too
  fierce　I　could　always　hop　into　that　chair　and　be　safe。
  The　furniture　in　this　room　is　no　worse　than　inharmonious；
  however；　for　we　had　to　bring　it　all　from　downstairs。　　I　suppose
  when　this　was　used　as　a　playroom　they　had　to　take　the　nursery
  things　out；　and　no　wonder！　　I　never　saw　such　ravages　as　the
  children　have　made　here。
  The　wall…paper；　as　I　said　before；　is　torn　off　in　spots；　and
  it　sticketh　closer　than　a　brotherthey　must　have　had
  perseverance　as　well　as　hatred。
  Then　the　floor　is　scratched　and　gouged　and　splintered；　the
  plaster　itself　is　dug　out　here　and　there；　and　this　great　heavy
  bed　which　is　all　we　found　in　the　room；　looks　as　if　it　had　been
  through　the　wars。
  But　I　don't　mind　it　a　bitonly　the　paper。
  There　comes　John's　sister。　　Such　a　dear　girl　as　she　is；　and
  so　careful　of　me！　　I　must　not　let　her　find　me　writing。
  She　is　a　perfect　and　enthusiastic　housekeeper；　and　hopes　for
  no　better　profession。　　I　verily　believe　she　thinks　it　is　the
  writing　which　made　me　sick！
  But　I　can　write　when　she　is　out；　and　see　her　a　long　way　off
  from　these　windows。
  There　is　one　that　commands　the　road；　a　lovely　shaded　winding
  road；　and　one　that　just　looks　off　over　the　country。　　A　lovely
  country；　too；　full　of　great　elms　and　velvet　meadows。
  This　wall…paper　has　a　kind　of　sub…pattern　in　a　different
  shade；　a　particularly　irritating　one；　for　you　can　only　see　it　in
  certain　lights；　and　not　clearly　then。
  But　in　the　places　where　it　isn't　faded　and　where　the　sun　is
  just　soI　can　see　a　strange；　provoking；　formless　sort　of　figure；
  that　seems　to　skulk　about　behind　that　silly　and　conspicuous　front
  design。
  There's　sister　on　the　stairs！
  Well；　the　Fourth　of　July　is　over！　　The　people　are　gone　and　I
  am　tired　out。　　John　thought　it　might　do　me　good　to　see　a　little
  company；　so　we　just　had　mother　and　Nellie　and　the　children　down
  for　a　week。
  Of　course　I　didn't　do　a　thing。　　Jennie　sees　to　everything
  now。
  But　it　tired　me　all　the　same。
  John　says　if　I　don't　pick　up　faster　he　shall　send　me　to　Weir
  Mitchell　in　the　fall。
  But　I　don't　want　to　go　there　at　all。　　I　had　a　friend　who　was
  in　his　hands　once；　and　she　says　he　is　just　like　John　and　my
  brother；　only　more　so！
  Besides；　it　is　such　an　undertaking　to　go　so　far。
  I　don't　feel　as　if　it　was　worth　while　to　turn　my　hand　over
  for　anything；　and　I'm　getting　dreadfully　fretful　and　querulous。
  I　cry　at　nothing；　and　cry　most　of　the　time。
  Of　course　I　don't　when　John　is　here；　or　anybody　else；　but
  when　I　am　alone。
  And　I　am　alone　a　good　deal　just　now。　　John　is　kept　in　town
  very　often　by　serious　cases；　and　Jennie　is　good　and　lets　me　alone
  when　I　want　her　to。
  So　I　walk　a　little　in　the　garden　or　down　that　lovely　lane；
  sit　on　the　porch　under　the　roses；　and　lie　down　up　here　a　good
  deal。
  I'm　getting　really　fond　of　the　room　in　spite　of　the
  wall…paper。　　Perhaps　BECAUSE　of　the　wall…paper。
  It　dwells　in　my　mind　so！
  I　lie　here　on　this　great　immovable　bedit　is　nailed　down；　I
  believeand　follow　that　pattern　about　by　the　hour。　　It　is　as
  good　as　gymnastics；　I　assure　you。　　I　start；　we'll　say；　at　the
  bottom；　down　in　the　corner　over　there　where　it　has　not　been
  touched；　and　I　determine　for　the　thousandth　time　that　I　WILL
  follow　that　pointless　pattern　to　some　sort　of　a　conclusion。
  I　know　a　little　of　the　principle　of　design；　and　I　know　this
  thing　was　not　arranged　on　any　laws　of　radiation；　or　alternation；
  or　repetition；　or　symmetry；　or　anything　else　that　I　ever　heard
  of。
  It　is　repeated；　of　course；　by　the　breadths；　but　not
  otherwise。
  Looked　at　in　one　way　each　breadth　stands　alone；　the　bloated
  curves　and　flourishesa　kind　of　〃debased　Romanesque〃　with
  delirium　tremensgo　waddling　up　and　down　in　isolated　columns
  of　fatuity。
  But；　on　the　other　hand；　they　connect　diagonally；　and　the
  sprawling　outlines　run　off　in　great　slanting　waves　of　optic
  horror；　like　a　lot　of　wallowing　seaweeds　in　full　chase。
  The　whole　thing　goes　horizontally；　too；　at　least　it　seems
  so；　and　I　exhaust　myself　in　trying　　to　distinguish　the　order　of
  its　going　in　that　direction。
  They　have　used　a　horizontal　breadth　for　a　frieze；　and　that
  adds　wonderfully　to　the　confusion。
  There　is　one　end　of　the　room　where　it　is　almost　intact；　and
  there；　when　the　crosslights　fade　and　the　low　sun　shines　directly
  upon　it；　I　can　almost　fancy　radiation　after　all；the
  interminable　grotesques　seem　to　form　around　a　common　centre　and
  rush　off　in　headlong　plunges　of　equal　distraction。
  It　makes　me　tired　to　follow　it。　　I　will　take　a　nap　I　guess。
  I　don't　know　why　I　should　write　this。
  I　don't　want　to。
  I　don't　feel　able。
  And　I　know　John　would　think　it　absurd。　　But　I　MUST　say
  what　I　feel　and　think　in　some　wayit　is　such　a　relief！
  But　the　effort　is　getting　to　be　greater　than　the　relief。
  Half　the　time　now　I　am　awfully　lazy；　and　lie　down　ever　so
  much。
  John　says　I　musn't　lose　my　strength；　and　has　me　take　cod
  liver　oil　and　lots　of　tonics　and　things；　to　say　nothing　of　ale
  and　wine　and　rare　meat。
  Dear　John！　　He　loves　me　very　dearly；　and　hates　to　have　me
  sick。　　I　tried　to　have　a　real　earnest　reasonable　talk　with　him
  the　other　day；　and　tell　him　how　I　wish　he　would　let　me　go　and
  make　a　visit　to　Cousin　Henry　and　Julia。
  But　he　said　I　wasn't　able　to　go；　nor　able　to　stand　it　after
  I　got　there；　and　I　did　not　make　out　a　very　good　case　for　myself；
  for　I　was　crying　before　I　had　finished。
  It　is　getting　to　be　a　great　effort　for　me　to　think　straight。
  Just　this　nervous　weakness　I　suppose。
  And　dear　John　gathered　me　up　in　his　arms；　and　just　carried
  me　upstairs　and　laid　me　on　the　bed；　and　sat　by　me　and　read　to　me
  till　it　tired　my　head。
  He　said　I　was　his　darling　and　his　comfort　and　all　he　had；
  and　that　I　must　take　care　of　myself　for　his　sake；　and　keep　well。
  He　says　no　one　but　myself　can　help　me　out　of　it；　that　I　must
  use　my　will　and　self…control　and　not　let　any　silly　fancies　run
  away　with　me。
  There's　one　comfort；　the　baby　is　well　and　happy；　and　does
  not　have　to　occupy　this　nursery　with　the　horrid　wall…paper。
  If　we　had　not　used　it；　that　blessed　child　would　have！　　What
  a　fortunate　escape！　　Why；　I　wouldn't　have　a　child　of　mine；　an
  impressionable　little　thing；　live　in　such　a　room　for　worlds。
  I　never　thought　of　it　before；　but　it　is　lucky　that　John　kept
  me　here　after　all；　I　can　stand　it　so　much　easier　than　a　baby；　you
  see。
  Of　course　I　never　mention　it　to　them　any　moreI　am　too
  wise；but　I　keep　watch　of　it　all　the　same。
  There　are　things　in　that　paper　that　nobody　knows　but　me；　or
  ever　will。
  Behind　that　outside　pattern　the　dim　shapes　get　clearer　every
  day。
  It　is　always　the　same　shape；　only　very　numerous。
  And　it　is　like　a　woman　stooping　down　and　creeping　about
  behind　that　pattern。　　I　don't　like　it　a　bit。　　I　wonderI　begin
  to　thinkI　wish　John　would　take　me　away　from　here！
  It　is　so　hard　to　talk　with　John　about　my　case；　because　he　is
  so　wise；　and　because　he　loves　me　so。
  But　I　tried　it　last　night。
  It　was　moonlight。　　The　moon　shines　in　all　around　just　as　the
  sun　does。
  I　hate　to　see　it　sometimes；　it　creeps　so　slowly；　and　always
  comes　in　by　one　window　or　another。
  John　was　asleep　and　I　hated　to　waken　him；　so　I　kept　still
  and　watched　the　moonlight　on　that　undulating　wall…paper　till　I
  felt　creepy。
  The　faint　figure　behind　seemed　to　shake　the　pattern；　just　as
  if　she　wanted　to　get　out。
  I　got　up　softly　and　went　to　feel　and　see　if　the　paper　DID
  move；　and　when　I　came　back　John　was　awake。
  〃What　is　it；　little　girl？〃　he　said。　　〃Don't　go　walking　about
  like　thatyou'll　get　cold。〃
  I　though　it　was　a　good　time　to　talk；　so　I　told　him　that　I
  really　was　not　gaining　here；　and　that　I　wished　he　would　take　me
  away。
  〃Why　darling！〃　said　he；　〃our　lease　will　be　up　in　three
  weeks；　and　I　can't　see　how　to　leave　before。
  〃The　repairs　are　not　done　at　home；　and　I　cannot　possibly
  leave　town　just　now。　　Of　course　if　you　were　in　any　danger；　I
  could　and　would；　but　you　really　are　better；　dear；　whether　you　can
  see　it　or　not。　　I　am　a　doctor；　dear；　and　I　know。　　You　are　gaining
  flesh　and　color；　your　appetite　is　better；　I　feel　really　much
  easier　about　you。〃
  〃I　don't　weigh　a　bit　more；〃　said　I；　〃nor　as　much；　and　my
  appetite　may　be　better　in　the　evening　when　you　are　here；　but　it
  is　worse　in　the　morning　when　you　are　away！〃
  〃Bless　her　little　heart！〃　said　he　with　a　big　hug；　〃she　shall
  be　as　sick　as　she　pleases！　　But　now　let's　improve　the　shining
  hours　by　going　to　sleep；　and　talk　about　it　in　the　morning！〃
  〃And　you　won't　go　away？〃　I　asked　gloomily。
  〃Why；　how　can　I；　dear？　　It　is　only　three　weeks　more　and　then
  we　will　take　a　nice　little　trip　of　a　few　days　while　Jennie　is
  getting　the　house　ready。　　Really　dear　you　are　better！〃
  〃Better　in　body　perhaps〃　I　began；　and　stopped　short；　for
  he　sat