as though she looked for some
sign from it: but, receiving none, she struck her hands violently
together; in a transport of rage upset the spinning-wheel; and fell
back into her seat. If Bertram had at first felt compassion on
witnessing the expressions of her grief and the anguish of her
expectation, this feeling was soon put to flight by the frantic
explosion of anger which followed. So great was his consternation that
he resolved to attempt escaping unobserved from the cottage; and he
first hoped to recover his full self-possession when he should find
himself at liberty and in the open air. With this intention, it may be
readily imagined how much his consternation was increased on finding
himself unable to stir either hand or foot. His head even moved with
difficulty: and it seemed as though no faculty had been left unaffected
but that of eye-sight, which served but to torment him by bringing
before him this scene of terror. He could almost have wished to
exchange his present situation for his recent exposure to the fury of
the elements. He attempted to sleep; but found himself unable; and
after the lapse of two long hours he heard a knocking at the door.

CHAPTER II.

_Tit._ Fear her not, Lucius; somewhat doth she mean:
Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus?

_Boy._ My Lord, I know not, I; nor can I guess;
Unless some fit or frenzy do possess her:
For I have heard my grandsire say full often,
Extremity of griefs would make men mad:
And I have read that Hecuba of Troy
Ran mad through sorrow: that made me to fear.
_Tit. Andron._--Act. iv.

The knocking grew louder and louder; but the old woman answered not a
word; on the contrary she seemed only the more earnestly intent on her
spinning. At length a little rustling was heard; by some artifice the
door was unbolted from the outside; and somebody stepped in. Even then
the old woman did not stir from her seat; and the man who had entered,
flinging down a heap of old drift wood, opened the conversation
himself:

"What's the matter now, mother, that you keep me so long waiting?"

"Waiting!" retorted the old woman without raising her eyes from her
wheel, "_you_ waiting!--Humph! A pretty waiting _I_ should have, if I
were to wait on every idle fellow that knocks."

"Aye, mother; but think of the weather and the frost that