She had made certain of her capture
of Edgar Caswall, and she could not tolerate even the lightest and most
contemptuous fancy on his part which might divert him from the main
issue. When she became aware that he wished Mimi to come with him to the
roof and that she had acquiesced, her rage got beyond bounds. She became
oblivious to any danger there might be in a visit to such an exposed
place at such a time, and to all lesser considerations, and made up her
mind to forestall them. She stealthily and noiselessly crept through the
wicket, and, ascending the stair, stepped out on the roof. It was
bitterly cold, for the fierce gusts of the storm which swept round the
turret drove in through every unimpeded way, whistling at the sharp
corners and singing round the trembling flagstaff. The kite-string and
the wire which controlled the runners made a concourse of weird sounds
which somehow, perhaps from the violence which surrounded them, acting on
their length, resolved themselves into some kind of harmony--a fitting
accompaniment to the tragedy which seemed about to begin.

Mimi's heart beat heavily. Just before leaving the turret-chamber she
had a shock which she could not shake off. The lights of the room had
momentarily revealed to her, as they passed out, Edgar's face,
concentrated as it was whenever he intended to use his mesmeric power.
Now the black eyebrows made a thick line across his face, under which his
eyes shone and glittered ominously. Mimi recognised the danger, and
assumed the defiant attitude that had twice already served her so well.
She had a fear that the circumstances and the place were against her, and
she wanted to be forearmed.

The sky was now somewhat lighter than it had been. Either there was
lightning afar off, whose reflections were carried by the rolling clouds,
or else the gathered force, though not yet breaking into lightning, had
an incipient power of light. It seemed to affect both the man and the
woman. Edgar seemed altogether under its influence. His spirits were
boisterous, his mind exalted. He was now at his worst; madder than he
had been earlier in the night.

Mimi, trying to keep as far from him as possible, moved across the stone
floor of the turret roof, and found a niche which concealed her. It was
not far from Lady Arabella's place of hiding.

Edgar, left thus alone on the centre of the turret roof, found himself
altogether his own master in a way which tended to