stories by modern american authors-第59节

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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