第30部分(第4/7 页)

ether　I　had　slept　or　not　after　this　musing；　at　any　rate；　I　started　wide　awake　on　hearing　a　vague　murmur；　peculiar　and　lugubrious；　which　sounded；　I　thought；　just　above　me。　I　wished　I　had　kept　my　candle　burning：　the　night　was　drearily　dark；　my　spirits　were　depressed。　I　rose　and　sat　up　in　bed；　listening。　The　sound　was　hushed。

I　tried　again　to　sleep；　but　my　heart　beat　anxiously：　my　inward　tranquillity　was　broken。　The　clock；　far　down　in　the　hall；　struck　two。　Just　then　it　seemed　my　chamber…door　was　touched；　as　if　fingers　had　swept　the　panels　in　groping　a　way　along　the　dark　gallery　outside。　I　said；　“Who　is　there？”　Nothing　answered。　I　was　chilled　with　fear。

All　at　once　I　remembered　that　it　might　be　Pilot；　who；　when　the　kitchen…door　chanced　to　be　left　open；　not　unfrequently　found　his　way　up　to　the　threshold　of　Mr。　Rochester’s　chamber：　I　had　seen　him　lying　there　myself　in　the　mornings。　The　idea　calmed　me　somewhat：　I　lay　down。　Silence　poses　the　nerves；　and　as　an　unbroken　hush　now　reigned　again　through　the　whole　house；　I　began　to　feel　the　return　of　slumber。　But　it　was　not　fated　that　I　should　sleep　that　night。　A　dream　had　scarcely　approached　my　ear；　when　it　fled　affrighted；　scared　by　a　marrow…freezing　incident　enough。

This　was　a　demoniac　laugh—low；　suppressed；　and　deep—uttered；　as　it　seemed；　at　the　very　keyhole　of　my　chamber　door。　The　head　of　my　bed　was　near　the　door；　and　I　thought　at　first　the　goblin…laugher　stood　at　my　bedside—or　rather；　crouched　by　my　pillow：　but　I　rose；　looked　round；　and　could　see　nothing；　while；　as　I　still　gazed；　the　unnatural　sound　was　reiterated：　and　I　knew　it　came　from　behind　the　panels。　My　first　impulse　was　to　rise　and　fasten　the　bolt；　my　next；　again　to　cry　out；　“Who　is　there？”

Something　gurgled　and　moaned。　Ere　long；　steps　retrea