neighbouring apartment,
her terror changed its object. 'He is not a prisoner,' said she, 'though
he remains in one chamber, for Montoni did not fasten the door, when he
left it; the unknown person himself did this; it is certain, therefore,
he can come out when he pleases.'

She paused, for, notwithstanding the terrors of darkness, she considered
it to be very improbable, whoever he was, that he could have any
interest in intruding upon her retirement; and again the subject of her
emotion changed, when, remembering her nearness to the chamber, where
the veil had formerly disclosed a dreadful spectacle, she doubted
whether some passage might not communicate between it and the insecure
door of the stair-case.

It was now entirely dark, and she left the casement. As she sat with
her eyes fixed on the hearth, she thought she perceived there a spark
of light; it twinkled and disappeared, and then again was visible. At
length, with much care, she fanned the embers of a wood fire, that had
been lighted in the morning, into flame, and, having communicated it to
a lamp, which always stood in her room, felt a satisfaction not to be
conceived, without a review of her situation. Her first care was to
guard the door of the stair-case, for which purpose she placed against
it all the furniture she could move, and she was thus employed, for
some time, at the end of which she had another instance how much more
oppressive misfortune is to the idle, than to the busy; for, having then
leisure to think over all the circumstances of her present afflictions,
she imagined a thousand evils for futurity, and these real and ideal
subjects of distress alike wounded her mind.

Thus heavily moved the hours till midnight, when she counted the sullen
notes of the great clock, as they rolled along the rampart, unmingled
with any sound, except the distant foot-fall of a sentinel, who came
to relieve guard. She now thought she might venture towards the turret,
and, having gently opened the chamber door to examine the corridor, and
to listen if any person was stirring in the castle, found all around
in perfect stillness. Yet no sooner had she left the room, than she
perceived a light flash on the walls of the corridor, and, without
waiting to see by whom it was carried, she shrunk back, and closed her
door. No one approaching, she conjectured, that it was Montoni going to
pay his mid-night visit to her unknown neighbour, and she determined to
wait, til