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was with Midwinter the work of an instant。 Confronted by actual
peril； the great nature of the man intuitively freed itself from
the weaknesses that had beset it in happier and safer times。 Not
even the shadow of the old superstition rested on his mind
nowno fatalist suspicion of himself disturbed the steady
resolution that was in him。 The one last doubt that troubled him；
as he stood at the window thinking； was the doubt whether he
could persuade Allan to change rooms with him； without involving
himself in an explanation which might lead Allan to suspect the
truth。
In the minute that elapsed； while he waited with his eyes on the
room； the doubt was resolvedhe found the trivial； yet
sufficient； excuse of which he was in search。 Mr。 Bashwood saw
him rouse himself and go to the door。 Mr。 Bashwood heard him
knock softly； and whisper； 〃Allan； are you in bed？〃
〃No；〃 answered the voice inside； 〃come in。〃
He appeared to be on the point of entering the room； when he
checked himself as if he had suddenly remembered something。 〃Wait
a minute；〃 he said； through the door； and； turning away； went
straight to the end room。 〃If there is anybody watching us in
there；〃 he said aloud； 〃let him watch us through this！〃 He took
out his handkerchief； and stuffed it into the wires of the
grating； so as completely to close the aperture。 Having thus
forced the spy inside （if there was one） either to betray himself
by moving the handkerchief； or to remain blinded to all view of
what might happen next； Midwinter presented himself in Allan's
room。
〃You know what poor nerves I have；〃 he said； 〃and what a wretched
sleeper I am at the best of times。 I can't sleep to…night。 The
window in my room rattles every time the wind blows。 I wish it
was as fast as your window here。〃
〃My dear fellow！〃 cried Allan； 〃I don't mind a rattling window。
Let's change rooms。 Nonsense！ Why should you make excuses to
_me？_ Don't I know how easily trifles upset those excitable
nerves of yours？ Now the doctor has quieted my mind about my poor
little Neelie； I begin to feel the journey； and I'll answer for
sleeping anywhere till to…morrow comes。〃 He took up his
traveling…bag。 〃We must be quick about it；〃 he added； pointing to
his candle。 〃They haven't left me much candle to go to bed by。〃
〃Be very quiet； Allan；〃 said Midwinter； opening the door for him。
〃We mustn't disturb the house at this time of night。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 returned Allan； in a whisper。 〃Good…night； I hope
you'll sleep as well as I shall。〃
Midwinter saw him into Number Three； and noticed that his own
candle （which he had left there） was as short as Allan's。
〃Good…night；〃 he said； and came out again into the corridor。
He went straight to the grating； and looked and listened once
more。 The handkerchief remained exactly as he had left it； and
still there was no sound to be heard within。 He returned slowly
along the corridor； and thought of the precautions he had taken；
for the last time。 Was there no other way than the way he was
trying now？ There was none。 Any openly avowed posture of
defensewhile the nature of the danger； and the quarter from
which it might come； were alike unknownwould be useless in
itself； and worse than useless in the consequences which it might
produce by putting the people of the house on their guard。
Without a fact that could justify to other minds his distrust of
what might happen with the night； incapable of shaking Allan's
ready faith in the fair outside which the doctor had presented to
him； the one safeguard in his friend's interests that Midwinter
could set up was the safeguard of changing the roomsthe one
policy he could follow； come what might of it； was the policy of
waiting for events。 〃I can trust to one thing；〃 he said to
himself； as he looked for the last time up and down the
corridor〃I can trust myself to keep awake。〃
After a glance at the clock on the wall opposite； he went into
Number Four。 The sound of the closing door was heard； the sound
of the turning lock followed it。 Then the dead silence fell over
the house once more。
Little by little； the steward's horror of the stillness and the
darkness overcame his dread of moving the handkerchief。 He
cautiously drew aside one corner of it； waited； looked； and took
courage at last to draw the whole handkerchief through the wires
of the grating。 After first hiding it in his pocket； he thought
of the consequences if it was found on him； and threw it down in
a corner of the room。 He trembled when he had cast it from him；
as he looked at his watch and placed himself again at the grating
to wait for Miss Gwilt。
It was a quarter to one。 The moon had come round from the side to
the front of the Sanitarium。 From time to time her light gleamed
on the window of the corridor when the gaps in the flying clouds
let it through。 The wind had risen； and sung its mournful song
faintly； as it swept at intervals over the desert ground in front
of the house。
The minute hand of the clock traveled on halfway round the circle
of the dial。 As it touched the quarter…past one； Miss Gwilt
stepped noiselessly into the corridor。 〃Let yourself out；〃 she
whispered through the grating； 〃and follow me。〃 She returned to
the stairs by which she had just descended； pushed the door to
softly after Mr。 Bashwood had followed her and led the way up to
the landing of the second floor。 There she put the question to
him which she had not ventured to put below stairs。
〃Was Mr。 Armadale shown into Number Four？〃 she asked。
He bowed his head without speaking。
〃Answer me in words。 Has Mr。 Armadale left the room since？〃
He answered； 〃No。〃
〃Have you never lost sight of Number Four since I left you？〃
He answered； 〃_Never！_〃
Something strange in his manner； something unfamiliar in his
voice； as he made that last reply； attracted her attention。 She
took her candle from a table near； on which she had left it； and
threw its light on him。 His eyes were staring； his teeth
chattered。 There was everything to betray him to her as a
terrified man； there was nothing to tell her that the terror was
caused by his consciousness of deceiving her； for the first time
in his life； to her face。 If she had threatened him less openly
when she placed him on the watch； if she had spoken less
unreservedly of the interview which was to reward him in the
morning； he might have owned the truth。 As it was； his strongest
fears and his dearest hopes were alike interested in telling her
the fatal lie that he had now toldthe fatal lie which he
reiterated when she put her question for the second time。
She looked at him； deceived by the last man on earth whom she
would have suspected of deceptionthe man w hom she had deceived
herself。
〃You seem to be overexcited；〃 she said quietly。 〃The night has
been too much for you。 Go upstairs； and rest。 You will find the
door of one of the rooms left open。 That is the room you are to
occupy。 Good…night。〃
She put the candle （which she had left burning for him） on the
table； and gave him her hand。 He held her back by it desperately
as she turned to leave him。 His horror of what might happen when
she was left by herself forced