第4部分(第2/7 页)

　intimates　that　he　should　call　again　the　next　day；　he　departed；　to　my　grief：　I　felt　so　sheltered　and　befriended　while　he　sat　in　the　chair　near　my　pillow；　and　as　he　closed　the　door　after　him；　all　the　room　darkened　and　my　heart　again　sank：　inexpressible　sadness　weighed　it　down。

“Do　you　feel　as　if　you　should　sleep；　Miss？”　asked　Bessie；　rather　softly。

Scarcely　dared　I　answer　her；　for　I　feared　the　next　sentence　might　be　rough。　“I　will　try。”

“Would　you　like　to　drink；　or　could　you　eat　anything？”

“No；　thank　you；　Bessie。”

“Then　I　think　I　shall　go　to　bed；　for　it　is　past　twelve　o’clock；　but　you　may　call　me　if　you　want　anything　in　the　night。”

Wonderful　civility　this！　It　emboldened　me　to　ask　a　question。

“Bessie；　what　is　the　matter　with　me？　Am　I　ill？”

“You　fell　sick；　I　suppose；　in　the　red…room　with　crying；　you’ll　be　better　soon；　no　doubt。”

Bessie　went　into　the　housemaid’s　apartment；　which　was　near。　I　heard　her　say—

“Sarah；　e　and　sleep　with　me　in　the　nursery；　I　daren’t　for　my　life　be　alone　with　that　poor　child　to…night：　she　might　die；　it’s　such　a　strange　thing　she　should　have　that　fit：　I　wonder　if　she　saw　anything。　Missis　was　rather　too　hard。”

Sarah　came　back　with　her；　they　both　went　to　bed；　they　were　whispering　together　for　half…an…hour　before　they　fell　asleep。　I　caught　scraps　of　their　conversation；　from　which　I　was　able　only　too　distinctly　to　infer　the　main　subject　discussed。

“Something　passed　her；　all　dressed　in　white；　and　vanished”—“A　great　black　dog　behind　him”—“Three　loud　raps　on　the　chamber　door”—“A　light　in　the　churchyard　just　over　his　grave；”　&c。　&c。

At　last　both　slept：　the　fire　and　the　candle　went　out。　For　me；　the　watches　of　that　long　night　passed　in　ghastly　wakefulness；　strained　by　dr