ith awe and sympathy. But who she
was I knew not, until turning towards me I plainly saw Janet's face,
pale and covered with tears, and with such a look of agony as--O God!--I
can never forget."

"Pshaw! Mary darling, what is it but a dream! I have had a thousand more
startling; it is only that you are so nervous just now."

"But that is not all--nothing; what followed is so dreadful; for either
there is something very horrible going on at Mardykes, or else I am
losing my reason," said Lady Haworth in increasing agitation. "I wakened
instantly in great alarm, but I suppose no more than I have felt a
hundred times on awakening from a frightful dream. I sat up in my bed; I
was thinking of ringing for Winnefred, my heart was beating so, but
feeling better soon I changed my mind. All this time I heard a faint
sound of a voice, as if coming through a thick wall. It came from the
wall at the left side of my bed, and I fancied was that of some woman
lamenting in a room separated from me by that thick partition. I could
only perceive that it was a sound of crying mingled with ejaculations of
misery, or fear, or entreaty. I listened with a painful curiosity,
wondering who it could be, and what could have happened in the
neighbouring rooms of the house; and as I looked and listened, I could
distinguish my own name, but at first nothing more. That, of course,
might have been an accident; and I knew there were many Marys in the
world besides myself. But it made me more curious; and a strange thing
struck me, for I was now looking at that very wall through which the
sounds were coming. I saw that there was a window in it. Thinking that
the rest of the wall might nevertheless be covered by another room, I
drew the curtain of it and looked out. But there is no such thing. It is
the outer wall the entire way along. And it is equally impossible of the
other wall, for it is to the front of the house, and has two windows in
it; and the wall that the head of my bed stands against has the gallery
outside it all the way; for I remarked that as I came to you."

"Tut, tut, Mary darling, nothing on earth is so deceptive as sound; this
and fancy account for everything."

"But hear me out; I have not told you all. I began to hear the voice
more clearly, and at last quite distinctly. It was Janet's, and she was
conjuring you by name, as well as me, to come to her to Mardykes,
without delay, in her extremity; yes, _you_, just as vehemently as me